


Will You Sing With Me?

by QuantumChickpea



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Alya Césaire - Freeform, F/M, Ladybug - Freeform, RockAu, chat noir - Freeform, marinette dupain cheng - Freeform, will you sing with me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 15:32:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 33,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14452269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuantumChickpea/pseuds/QuantumChickpea
Summary: Chat is a famous rock singer looking for a talented fan to sing with him on his new song. Marinette is convinced by her best friend, Alya, to dress up as an alias, Ladybug, to sing for the chance to duet with the famous singer. Even if she isn't impressed with him.I actually started this a long time ago and recently brought it back recently. ^-^





	1. Chapter 1

Chat stood up on stage holding a mic. He gripped it in his right black fingerless gloved hand and smirked as the curtain went up. He bit his lip and peered up at the catwalks above his head. 

“Hello… Paris!” Chat screamed out at the fangirling crowd. “Ha!” He gave a bright smile and a few girls fell to their knees. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Marinette sat in her room watching the show on her computer screen. Her knees were drawn up to her chest. Alya sat beside her in a matching pink chair. 

“Isn’t he amazing…” Alya nudged her arm with her elbow with a knowing smile. 

“Pfft. If you like guys that think the whole world revolves around them.” Marinette pressed her lips to her crossed arms unphased. 

“Admit it. You’re just as crazy about him as all those fangirls out there.” Alya chuckled and rolled her eyes. 

“Nope. Never.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “Guys like that aren’t my type.” 

“Right… just well known models with blonde hair.” Alya pushed her arm with the palm of her hand. 

Marinette perked up and looked at her horrified. “Only Adrien. He’s-” She brought her clasped hands to her cheek. “He’s perfect.” 

Alya laughed and crossed her arms. “Yeah. And he’s just as famous as that guy on the screen.” She gestured towards Chat singing a cover of The Sun Has Set On Me by Theory of a Deadman. 

“No. THAT!” Marinette flung her hand out at the screen. “Is something else entirely.” 

“THAT!” Alya poked her with her finger. “Is a sexy guy who can sing. Although, I prefer DJs...” 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Yeah, your boyfriend.” She giggled. “I wish I had your courage. Then I’d be with the love of my life already.” She sulked into herself. 

“It’ll happen, girl!” Alya clapped her hand on Marinette’s back. “But for now. Enjoy the show.” She smiled at her best friend. 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Do I really have to?” 

“Tomorrow! There will be an online competition for a new singer! I need one lucky fan for a new duet I wrote! So! If you think you have what it takes…” Chat put his hands on his hips, leaned forward, and cocked his head to the side. “Make a video and send it out to my social media account! I’ll pick the top five videos I see!” 

“Did you hear that?!” Alya perked up and shook Marinette’s arm. “You should do it!” 

“You know I can’t sing in front of anyone, but you.” Marinette bit her finger nail. 

“It’d be good for you… You always said you wanted to be a singer, didn’t you?” Alya gripped her upper arm. 

“A song writer... “ Marinette looked at her unamused. “Not a singer…” 

“Well, you have to start somewhere…” She pointed at the screen. “Besides, maybe you’ll see him in a different light.” 

Marinette sighed. “I don’t have a camera…” 

Alya took out her phone and shook it back and forth ecstatically. “What are best friends for?” 

Marinette hid her face. “I can’t.” 

“Just pretend no one else is here.” Alya pointed her phone at her, ready to push record. “You got this, Dupain Cheng.” 

Marinette sighed and cleared her throat before standing in the middle of her room. “I don’t even know what to sing.” 

“Anything.” Alya looked around her phone at Marinette with a shrug and a smile. 

Marinette rolled her eyes and shifted her feet to be more stable. She closed her eyes and began to speak. 

“Bonjour. My name is Marinette…” Her voice shook and she rubbed her arm. 

Alya stopped recording and let her hands fall at her sides. “Alright, this isn’t working. I know!” Alya jumped up and ran over to where Marinette kept her costume creations. 

She threw clothing options everywhere until she found the perfect thing. “Here! Put this on!” 

“My Halloween costume from two years ago?” Marinette’s eyebrow went up in speculation. 

“Just put it on, girl… Trust me.” Alya rolled her eyes and sighed. 

Marinette slipped on the costume. It was a bright red off the shoulder crop top with black polka dots on it. The pants were black and had two black belts that hung loose around her hips. She slipped on black ankle boots. She had been trying to be some edgy ladybug of some sort, but it confused people more than it actually impressed anyone. 

“It needs… something.” Alya tapped her bottom lip with a finger with an arm crossed across her chest. 

It was like a light turned on and she ran over to Marinette’s vanity. She rummaged through the drawers and pulled out a mask. 

“Put this on.” Alya handed her a red mask that went around her eyes and covered past her cheek bones. 

Marinette grabbed the mask from her friend with an irritated expression and she slipped it on. “Better?” She held her arms out and did a little spin. 

“Perfect.” Alya gave her a thumbs up. “Now you need a new name.” 

Marinette sighed. “How about Ladybug?” 

“Great!” Alya took her phone out again. “Alright, Ladybug, time to fly.” 

Marinette stood in front of Alya’s phone and began to sing a cover of Evanescence’s song What You Want. 

Alya tapped her foot and watched her friend come out of her cocoon. 

Marinette danced around and lost herself in the song. 

Once she was done Alya turned her phone to herself. “What you just heard was my best friend, Ladybug! Doesn’t she rock or what?!” 

Alya stopped recording and posted it to Chat’s social media page. 

“Are you sure about this, Alya?” Marinette took the mask off. 

“Are you kidding me? You rock, girl! You got this in the bag!” Alya wrapped her arm around her shoulders. 

Within moments her phone dinged with a notification. “Ha! You’re in!” She put the phone in Marinette’s face. 

“That was fast.” Marinette gulped in shock. “What do I do?” 

“Well, looks like you made it into the next stage.” Alya hugged her friend. “I gotta put this in my blog. I’ll catch you later!” 

Marinette was left in her bedroom, alone and at a loss for words. Could she really do this? 

 

Songs:

The Sun Has Set On Me by Theory of a Deadman

What You Want by Evanescence


	2. Chapter 2

“You chose her fast.” Nathalie sat in front of him on the couch in his tour bus with a tablet in her hands. 

“She’s good.” Adrien sat with his knee drawn up, drink in the hand that rested on his knee, and he chewed on a piece of ice. 

“There are a lot of videos for you to go through.” Nathalie got up and walked away. “I’ll leave you to it. Make sure you make good decisions. Your father is only letting you do this if you can find the perfect girl for that song of yours.” She stopped short. “Oh yeah,” Nathalie turned to look at him. “You also have a photoshoot tomorrow morning at five. Then Chinese… Then-” 

Adrien rolled his eyes and flipped through his phone’s newsfeed. “Yeah, yeah… I got it.” He sighed and let his head hit the back of the couch he was sitting on. All he wanted was a life of his own and yet his father had still stuck his nose in it when he had found out about his little side job. 

She smirked and made her way to the area in the back of the bus. 

He hit the replay button on the video of the mysterious girl with midnight hair and the red mask. A warm smile came to his lips and he brought his knees to his chest and watched her intently again. “She’s perfect.” He whispered and his cheeks turned warm. 

___________________________________________________

“Alya… Why did you have me do that?” Marinette panicked on the phone with her best friend. 

“Because you're talented,Mari. I believe in you and apparently so does Chat.” Alya spoke in a way that seemed like she meant something more. 

“I just-” Marinette picked at a loose thread on her pink jeans. “I just don't know that if I do win… if I can handle singing in front of so many people.” 

“You're not Marinette remember?” Alya whispered so Nino wouldn't hear her. “You're the confident sexy Ladybug. Walk in there and own it. Show him what you got, girl!” Alya giggled over the phone and Marinette giggled back. 

“Alright, tell Nino hi for me.” Marinette smiled and hung her new alias up on her vanity mirror. 

“Will do! Don't forget to make a new social media profile for your new alias and then check your messages for Chat.” Alya winked at a confused Nino. 

“Ok. I'm on it.” Marinette hung up. 

“Chat?” Nino raised an eyebrow at Alya. “Like THE...Chat Noir?!”

“It's nothing. He's… messaging his fans- right- now.” Alya nervously made up an excuse. 

“In that case I'll be on the lookout as well.” Nino smiled at his girlfriend. 

“Sounds… good, Nino.” Alya nodded at him and put her phone in her pocket. 

_________________________________________________________

Adrien walked to his bedroom on the tour bus and threw off his black leather jacket. He ran a hand through his messy blonde hair before removing his black jeans and letting them hit the floor. He fell onto his bed in his low v-neck tee and red boxer briefs. 

His phone began to ring and he groaned and looked up from his pillow with disinterest at the screen. The name of his secret manager popped up on the screen. 

“Hey.” Adrien spoke with a monotone. 

“Don’t hey me, Kid! How was the show?” Plagg jokingly spoke. 

Adrien rolled over onto his back. “It went well. I just want my father out of my second life.” Adrien rolled his eyes. 

“Shouldn’t have gotten yourself caught.” Plagg laughed. 

“Ha-Ha very funny, Plagg.” Adrien sighed and peered up at the ceiling. “Now he’s got me looking for the new big thing to sing with me on a song.” 

“Really?” Plagg’s eyes grew big. 

“Yeah, really.” Adrien rubbed his eyes with his thumb and finger, scrunching up his face. 

“This could be good. It may be your ticket out of there.” Plagg shook his finger, while sitting at his giant oak desk. 

“I don’t see how that makes any sense.” Adrien sighed. “He practically owns me. Both sides of me, now.” 

“Maybe you can fail to find this perfect fan and then he’d make you stop, right?” Plagg tapped a pen on his desk. 

“Yeah…” Adrien stuck his hand out in front of his face into the air with his fingers spread. 

“Then! You can stop being Chat for a little while and then get out of the picture long enough to start anew as someone else.” Plagg smiled wickedly. 

“That’s a great idea!” Adrien sprang up from his bed before sulking again. “But I already found the perfect girl, Plagg.” 

“Well… pretend like you didn’t.” Plagg smirked. 

“Easier said than done. Nathalie knows I found one already.” Adrien sighed. 

“Well... “ Plagg thought for a moment. “I got it! Private message this girl and tell her to meet you somewhere. See if she’ll agree to a plan where she’d ruin her second audition. Like if she were to sing terrible in person…” 

“I can’t do that! That’s messed up.” Adrien scolded his manager. 

“Alright… keep being your daddy’s golden boy.” Plagg rolled his eyes and flipped the pen through his fingers. 

“Okay. Okay! I’ll do it.” Adrien sighed. “Now, good-night.” 

“Night, Kid.” Plagg smiled and hung up on him. 

Adrien growled and shifted his phone to his private messaging app. He flipped it open and searched for a girl named Ladybug. He found her with ease and hit the send a message button. 

C- Hey! I’m interested in you moving to the next step of the auditioning process. I was wondering if we could meet up for lunch or dinner to discuss how it all works.

Adrien hit send and waited tapping his phone to his lower lip. His phone made a cat sound immediately. 

M- Hey! Sounds great! Where should I meet you and what time?

Marinette couldn’t believe she was doing this. She laid on her bed with her head against her enormous cat pillow and waited. She found him to be so obnoxious. Why had Alya talked her into this? She groaned as her phone chimed. 

C- How about at L’Ange 20 at noon? I’ll be wearing a black pull over hoodie with black aviators. 

Adrien looked over at his hoodie hanging in the closet in front of him. 

Marinette looked around her, realizing she really didn’t have much Ladybug attire aside from the one she had made for Halloween years ago. She shot up from the bed and ran around looking for red fabric. She managed to find enough yardage to make a red t-shirt dress. 

M- Sounds good. I’ll be there in a red T-shirt dress. 

She began cutting out pattern pieces and sewing the cotton pieces together. She grabbed some red cording to criss cross through the front deep v of the dress. Within a few moments, she was done and laying back on her bed panting. 

C- See ya then, Ladybug.

Adrien sighed and fell back onto his pillow with an arm over his eyes. “What am I doing?”


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette looked into her floor length mirror. The skin tight red dress formed to her curves and her rounded breasts peeked through the criss crossed cording on the front. She wore black tights and black ankle boots. Her midnight hair was tousled. She sighed and began to paint her eyes in smokey shades before adding winged eyeliner.

“I can do this.” She sighed and slipped on a black crossbody purse. “I got this. I’m Ladybug.” She kept repeating that she was Ladybug, almost like she was trying to convince herself.

She sighed and made her way through her apartment before making her way out the front door of the building. She had moved out once she was done with High School and had gotten into a design school right away.

Marinette took the subway all the way to the street where the restaurant was. She walked towards the place trying really hard not to trip and fall in her boots. She was used to wearing flats. “I can do this.” She blew a stray hair from her eyes.

That was when she looked up to see him, standing against a light post with one leg crossed over the other with his arms crossed across his chest.

Her heart about fell on the floor. She breathed out a smooth breath and walked towards him with her head held high and all the confidence of the world trailed behind her. Then she tripped on a crack into him.

She laughed nervously, as he caught her by her forearms. “You alright? You seem to have fallen for me.”

“Yeah…” She straightened up and rolled her eyes once his comment registered to her. “Sorry.”

“Care to go in and discuss this whole thing?” Chat smiled at her.

He really is too good to be true. Marinette rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She put on a smile.

“Okay…” Chat gave her a sideways glance and abruptly took her hand in his before dragging her into the cafe.

They sat at a table for two and she put the napkin in her lap. “So…”

Chat looked at his menu intently. “Oh.” He looked up at her.

“How does this work?” Ladybug looked back into his sunglasses. “I’m sorry, but can you take those off?”

“I would… but then you may recognize me.” Chat smirked and leaned across the table.

“Yeah. As Chat Noir? C’mon.” Ladybug crossed her arms and scoffed.

Chat shook his head. “Nuh-uh. As my day job. I didn’t put anything underneath these to hide that.” He pointed to his aviators.

“Right…” Ladybug clicked her tongue. “Because you aren’t just a rock star.”

“Right.” Chat sat back in his seat and began to look the menu over again.

“What can I get you to drink?” The waitress came over holding a pad of paper and a pen.

“Water with ice please.” Ladybug answered quickly. She wanted to get this over with.

“I’ll take sparkling water, please.” Chat smiled up at her and Marinette swore she saw the girl go weak at the knees.

“I-I’ll h-have them out in a moment.” She smiled and played with her hair before walking off.

“Do you always have that effect on women?” Ladybug pointed the stumbling woman out.

“What do you mean?” Chat looked at her with his head cocked to the side like a curious cat.

Ladybug shook her head. “Nevermind. About this audition?” She couldn’t believe he had no idea that he had that effect on women.

“Oh right. About that.” Chat set his menu down.

“Here you are.” The waitress set their drinks in front of them. “Are you ready to order?”

They both sighed and ordered their food to make the woman go away.

“I need you to do me a favor.” Chat tilted his sunglasses down a bit revealing his bright deep green eyes and he leaned across the table.

“What do you need, Chat?” Ladybug wasn’t amused.

“I need you to sing horribly. Sing so bad that I seem like I failed to my father.” Chat put his sunglasses back up with his finger to conceal his forest eyes again.

“You want me to sing horribly. For you?” Ladybug pointed to herself.

“Yes.” Chat nodded in agreeance. “Look, my father found out about my new lifestyle. He’s... not the most free spirited individual.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “He’s got his arms around my neck like a noose. If I fail at finding the perfect voice… he’ll make me stop doing music.”

“Don’t you like doing music?” Ladybug dropped her arms to her lap in confusion.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love it! But… I need to start over. I need to free myself from my father. He’s got his hands tied in all of my business.” He twiddled his fingers in the air in front of him. “Get it?”

“Alright, alright.” Ladybug took a sip of water, leaving a red lipstick mark on the crystal.

“So, you in?” Chat leaned into her with a entrancing smile.

“I’m in, but you have to do something for me…” Ladybug ran a finger around the edge of her glass.

“What’s that?” Chat sat back.

“Get me into the company to write songs for someone. I don’t care who. Just get my foot in the door.” Ladybug smiled at his dumbfounded expression.

“You sing so well. Why do you only want to write songs?” Chat looked at her curiously.

“Look, I don’t want to sing my songs. I want someone to sing them for me. I was forced by my best friend to do this. So, I’ll play along… IF you can do that for me.” Ladybug drank a sip of her water. “Also, sparkling water seems so unedgy for a rock star.”

Chat gulped and cringed at her remark. “I can like nice things too, ya know.”

“Right…” Ladybug bit her lower lip with a smirk.

He slumped in his seat, as their food showed up at their table.

“So, tell me about you. What do you like to do when you’re not shredding on your guitar and singing?” Ladybug picked at her food.

“I play video games with my best friend.” Chat shrugged and took a bite of his food.

“You play games?” Ladybug dropped her fork mid bite.

“Yep. We usually play fighting games together while I’m on tour or on a trip for a photo-” He clamped his mouth shut.

“Photoshoots?” Ladybug finished his sentence for him.

“Yeah… You know… for albums and stuff.” Chat nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

“The most amazing, cute, sweet, charming guy at my school does photoshoots too. It must be so exhausting.” Ladybug looked off into space with a dreamy expression on her face.

“Oh really?” Chat leaned in interested. “Who would that be?”

“You’ve probably seen his face all over Paris on billboards and things.” Ladybug smiled and brushed him off.

“Well, there are many billboards all over Paris, m’Lady.” Chat put on a charming smile.

“It’s not important.” She took a bite of her food.

“You’re Chat Noir, yes?” A man that looked like he might own the restaurant walked over to them.

“Yes?” Chat sounded unsure if he should respond.

“Can you do us the honor of playing us a song?” The man smiled at him.

“Sure, anything for the fans.” Chat got up from his seat and set his napkin on the table.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and turned her chair to see him sit on a bar stool. Someone handed him an acoustic guitar and he began to mess with the tuning before strumming the strings.

Ladybug licked her lips and sighed in irritation.

Chat began to sing a cover song of Please Read the Letter. He held out one hand and gestured for Ladybug to come up to him with his hand in a come hither motion.

She shook her head no, but he kept insisting. She eventually gave up and made her way up to him with a nervous smile and everyone cheered.

Ladybug bit her lip and took a seat next to him. He whispered in her ear, as he leaned over. “You keep doing that and I’ll give you a reason to bite that lip.”

She stiffened up at his sudden comment that seemed to have come out of nowhere. She could have slapped him, but she held back with an awkward smile. “Flirt.” She grit out the word.

“Hm.” He smugly chuckled before singing again.

 

Once I stood beside a well of many words  
My house was full of rings and  
Charms and pretty birds  
Please understand me, my  
Walls come falling down

Ladybug looked over at him reluctantly and her face fell. Chat looked like he belonged on the stage. The world shined for him. She shook her head and intertwined her voice with his.

 

Please understand me  
My walls came falling down  
There's nothing here that's left for you  
But check with lost and found

 

Chat leaned into her with his guitar and the people in the cafe seemed entranced with the small show. He slowly strummed the song to an end. Ladybug brought her lower lip into her mouth and he touched her chin with his thumb to free it.

Ladybug pulled away and cleared her throat, looking down. “I should go.”

“We have a deal?” Chat whispered looking into her eyes through his shades.

“We have a deal.” Ladybug nodded and got up from her chair, leaving her side of the bill at their table before walking out of the restaurant.

Chat rubbed his chin with his fingers and smirked. “Can I have your autograph?” Women swarmed him with napkins and pens.

__________________________________________________________

“He was incredibly ridiculous!” Marinette wiped her makeup off her eyes and yelled into her cell phone to Alya.

“Really now?” Alya played with her blog on her computer.

“He was! He made me sing in front of the cafe! And AND! He wants me to sing badly for the second part of the audition!” Marinette flew her arms into the air. She bit her lip. “But…”

“I sense something.” Alya laughed and sat on her orange couch.

“He made a deal that if I did that for him then he would get me in with writing songs for bands.” Marinette sighed and sat at her vanity.

“So… was he charming at all?” Alya leaned on one of her hands in a dreamy fashion.

“Alya…” Marinette rolled her eyes and kicked off her tights. “He was… interesting. Yet…” She tapped her lower lip in thought. “Familiar? Especially when I saw his emerald eyes.”

“What did he wear?!” Alya sat at the edge of her couch. “I want all the details.”

Marinette went on a long story of everything that happened, while Alya made small noises in reaction.

“And then! And THEN! He has the nerve to say that if I don’t stop biting my lip he’d give me a reason to.” Marinette scoffed and crossed her arms in irritation.

“Did he now? I’d give anything to have a man say that to me.” Alya sighed.

“Alya!” Marinette could smack her best friend.

“WHAT?! I’m just saying… it’s not everyday that a girl hears something like that.” Alya tried to explain herself.

“Well, I’d rather hear sweet romantic things. Not THAT.” Marinette flopped onto her bed.

“You could use some of that in your life, Mari. How longs it been?” Alya smirked evilly.

“HEY! It hasn’t been that long...” Marinette argued then counted on her fingers. “Four years?”

“Oh my God, girl.” Alya laughed and shook her head. “Yep, I’ve decided this was the perfect plan for you. Have fun. Live a little.”

“Alya!” Marinette got hung up on. “Seriously?!”

She groaned and flopped back onto her bed. Why did I get myself into this mess?

She turned on her computer to find Chat Noir talking about his contest. “I have chosen my five fans! It was a hard decision. You’re all so talented. But I’ve done it! Those that were chosen… we start tomorrow at six in the morning. I’ll send out messages to you all. Good luck!” He winked through his black mask.

Marinette rolled her eyes before she realised she had to get up and ready for the second part of the contest tomorrow.

Her phone chimed with an incoming text. She groaned and looked at her phone’s screen to see Chat’s name pop up.

 

C- Hey, bugaboo. Meet me at the old warehouse by the DuPain Cheng Boulangerie at 6 A.M.

 

Marinette rolled her eyes and angrily texted him back.

 

M- Don’t call me bugaboo. And I’ll be there.

 

Marinette threw her phone onto her bed and ran her fingers through her hair. This was ridiculous.

Adrien smirked and began to send a mass private message out to the girls.

 

C- Hello! You’ve all been selected to move on to the second round. Meet me at the warehouse next to the DuPain Cheng Boulangerie at 6 A.M. for the second portion. I hope to see you all there. Good Luck!

 

He hit send on Chat’s phone. Marinette’s private messaging app dinged and she opened it to see his less casual message.

She rolled her eyes. “I swear!” She growled in irritation.

Marinette threw on her pajamas and tried to go to sleep. She had a lot to say tomorrow.

 

 

 

Song:

 Please Read the Letter by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: Miss Nothing by The Pretty Reckless

Ladybug threw on her red mask and crop top with the black pants and ankle boots. She ran red lipstick along the curves of her lips before pressing them together. 

“He wanted bugaboo? She’d give him hell.” Ladybug smirked and headed out of her apartment towards the warehouse next to her parent’s bakery. 

Her phone chimed and Alya’s name popped up. 

Alya- Good Luck! You got this, girl! 

Ladybug smiled at her best friend's tenacity and kept walking until she looked up at the tall abandoned building. 

She opened the door and stepped inside. Four girls stood in a circle, stretching their arms and legs. Chat stood off to the side looking over some paperwork. He wore his black leather jacket, torn jeans, and his black mask. 

Ladybug sauntered up to him and ran a hand along his shoulders while the girls were distracted. “Can I have a word with you…” She whispered in his ear. “Cha...ton.” Her lips grazed his ear with the last word. 

His back bristled and he looked up from the profiles of the girls. “Yeah, sure.” He stumbled on his words and followed her off through a doorway. 

Ladybug got in his face and poked his chest until he hit a wall. “What was with that bugaboo stuff?” 

He held his hands up in surrender. “Nothing. Nothing. I won’t do it again.” 

Her chest heaved up and down in anger. “I can’t believe you thought you could just flirt with me. I barely know you!” 

His eyes fell to the small amount of skin showing and how toned her stomach was. 

Ladybug rolled her eyes and brought his eyes up to hers by his chin. “Seriously?” 

He chuckled nervously and shrugged with a smile. 

“Just- ugh.” ladybug groaned. “Talk normal to me. Treat me like the others. Got it?” 

“Fine. Fine.” Chat closed his eyes in surrender. 

“Good. Now let’s go, so I can show you how badly I SING.” Ladybug rolled her eyes in frustration and backed up to free him. 

“Alright.” He cleared his throat and brushed his palms on his jeans, pushing off the wall with his black booted foot. 

Ladybug walked in front of him, swiveling her hips, just to tease him. She looked back to see Chat looking down and biting his lip, hopelessly. 

“Are you staring again, kitty?” Ladybug scolded at him over her shoulder. 

“Uh...No... Nope.” He looked away rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Right.” Ladybug smirked and walked into the big room with the other girls to stretch. 

Chat paid a little too much attention to how Ladybug would bend at her back and how she would stretch her legs. 

All of the girls began to do vocal warm ups before they heard Chat clap his hands to bring them in. 

“First up is Adele!” Chat ran a finger down his list. 

A girl with blonde hair smiled at him and ran up to the mic that was set up at the back of the room. Her voice wasn’t too bad. Oh who was Ladybug kidding… it was awful! It made her wince and she rubbed her right ear with her hand. 

“Thanks, Adele.” Chat smiled and made a note next to her name. 

Ladybug didn’t know how she could compete with that masterpiece. 

“Alright, Madeline.” Chat called the next girl. 

One after the other, all of the girls went up to sing and each one of them was terrible. Marinette couldn’t decide which was the worst or the best. 

“Alright… Ladybug. You’re up!” Chat yelled and did a come hither motion with his pointer finger that held a pen. 

Marinette let out a breath and closed her eyes before walking up to the mic. 

“What are you singing?” Chat looked at her a little too intently. 

“I’ll be singing a cover of Miss Nothing.” Marinette spoke into the mic in front of her. 

She made great effort to sing it terribly, but it wasn’t as bad as the other girls. No matter how hard she tried. It wouldn’t come out as terrible. 

Once the song ended, Chat spoke up. “Alright, I think I’ve heard enough. I’ll message you all with my decision.” 

Marinette grabbed her bag and was walking out behind the rest of the smug girls when a hand grabbed hers and yanked her back. “Hold up.” Chat whispered into her ear. 

Her face grew hot and she glared in anger before turning around to him. “What?” 

“I’m sorry.” Chat slumped his shoulders. “I shouldn’t have been so forward with you.” 

“Wow. This is very unlike the Chat that I’ve seen on tv.” Ladybug smirked with an arm on her hip. 

Chat rolled his eyes. “I’m not always like that.” 

“Really now? You could have fooled me.” Ladybug laughed. 

“I’ll prove it to you. Give me a week. Besides we start on the song tomorrow. Congrats! You won.” Chat winked at her before letting her go. 

Ladybug could have slapped him again. “How surprising…” 

“I know right!” Chat smiled at her. 

She rolled her eyes and walked out of the building leaving him standing there. 

 

_________________________________________________________________

 

A mass private message dinged on Marinette’s phone.

 

C- Good news! I’ve selected the lucky fan to sing with me on my duet! And that lucky fan is… Ladybug! 

Marinette called Alya on the phone. 

“Guess what?” Marinette spoke into the phone. 

“What?” Alya was excited. 

“I got in.” Marinette shrugged and stepped onto the subway. 

“No way!” Alya jumped up and down. 

“Yes, way! But is it really that surprising?” Marinette held her arm with her hand. 

“Yeah. No not really.” Alya laughed at her friend. “But I can dream.” 

“You’re ridiculous.” Marinette laughed and hummed contently. 

“You’ve got it bad don’t you?” Alya slyly smiled. 

“No! Besides I love Adrien.” Marinette looked over at her poster of him on her wall. 

“Yeah… but you haven’t even talked to him without stumbling or tripping on something.” Alya laughed. 

“I will! Tomorrow after class.” Marinette made an internal note to stop him afterwards before he left for his photo shoot. 

“Alright, I’ll hold you to it.” Alya smiled and bit a bite of an apple. 

“After business management class.” Marinette decided. 

“Okay, don’t spare me from the details.” Alya hung up the phone. 

Marinette sighed and changed out of her Ladybug attire. She had a long night of deciding what to wear and figuring out what she was gonna say to Adrien. 

______________________________________________________

 

Tomorrow came faster than she was expecting. Her heart raced and she bit her bottom lip with worried eyes. Her fingers were knotted under her desk and she could barely focus on what their instructor was saying. 

“Make sure to read the rest of chapter three in your books. We’ll be discussing it tomorrow.” Their instructor spoke before letting them all go. 

Adrien got up and packed his notebook and pen into his black leather book bag. 

Marinette couldn’t help, but notice how his hair was perfectly gelled to the side in a messy yet put together fashion. How his blue jeans sat low on his hips. How his white v-neck tee was tight fitting and contoured to his muscular chest. He had really grown into a beautiful man from when she had first fallen for him in high school. 

“Um...A-” Marinette gripped her pink bag strap nervously. “Adrien.” She spoke a little louder next to his desk. 

“Yeah?” He looked up with emerald eyes, slinging his bag over his head and onto his shoulder.

“I was- wondering…” She tapped her fingers together in a nervous fashion and looked down at them before meeting his eyes. 

Adrien looked at Marinette intently and waited for her to finish. 

“If.. you wanted to…” Marinette licked her bottom lip and bit it. She thought she saw his eyes fly down to her lips, but ignored it. “Go- catch- I mean!” She shook her head. “Watch a mover. I mean a mov-” She sighed in defeat. 

“Mari?” Adrien smiled at her warmly and rested a hand on her shoulder. “I would love to watch a movie with you.” 

“You would?” Her blue eyes brightened and she looked up at him with hope. 

“Yeah! I’ve been dying to see that new superhero movie that’s out.” Adrien smiled with a chuckle. “Would you like to go see it with me then?” 

“Yeah…” Marinette about fell to the ground. “I mean- yes, I’d love to.” She giggled nervously. 

“Okay then. I’ll pick you up at around… 6?” Adrien looked over his schedule. “I should have enough time to see it then before I have to run off.” 

“Yeah. Yeah me too.” Marinette laughed nervously. She had forgotten she had practice tonight with Chat. Stupid Chat always got in the way. She internally scowled. 

“Everything alright?” Adrien gave her a look of concern. 

“Yeah... yeah. It’s nothing.” She smiled up at him. “I’ll send you my address.” 

She began to walk away without thinking before a hand grabbed her hand. “Wait.” 

She turned around with a blush. “Yes?” 

“I don’t have your number.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. 

“Right…” Marinette took her phone out and they exchanged numbers. “There.” 

The number looked vaguely familiar to Adrien, but he shook it off. It was bound to happen with him having two lifestyles with separate phones.


	5. Chapter 5

Marinette immediately called Alya when she got home.

“Alya! I did it!” Marinette screamed excited.

“I’m so proud of you, Mari. You’re growing up.” Alya smiled through the phone. “So, what are you guys doing?”

“We’re going to see the new superhero movie tonight at 6.” Marinette proudly spoke.

“Sounds good.” Alya poked Nino in the side. “We’re going this weekend.”

“Nice! Well I won’t give you any details from the film then.” Marinette smirked and went through her outfits.

“So… what are you going to wear?” Alya flipped through her notebook.

“Hey, dude.” Nino picked up his ringing phone and walked off into another room.

“I’m looking now.” Marinette threw clothing around the room.

“Look. Wear that pink dress you made. It’s perfect.” Alya smiled and looked up from her notebook.

“The one with the white dots and sweetheart neckline?” Marinette pulled it out and looked it over.

“Yeah. It screams innocence, classy, and cutesey.” Alya smirked. “Something about Adrien makes me think he’ll enjoy it.”

“I was gonna wear jeans and a tank top, but if you think this is a better option…” Marinette shrugged.

“Oh I do.” Alya smirked. “No heels. I heard he doesn’t care for them much.”

“Alright then. Ballet flats it is.” Marinette threw the white heels she was going to wear back in the drawer.

“You were gonna wear the white stilettos weren’t you.” Alya sighed. “You know you would have fallen on your face, right?”

“Yep. I mean, no, what are you talking about. You said he didn’t care for heels.” Marinette giggled.

“He doesn’t.” Nino’s voice carried through the phone.

“Thanks Nino!” Marinette laughed.

Alya shoved him with her hand and mouthed for him to go away.

“Alright, I won’t spill what Adrien just told me…” Nino began to walk away.

“Wait!” Alya yanked him back by the collar of his shirt.

“Hey, your gonna stretch out my favorite shirt.” Nino held his shirt like it was a precious commodity.

“Spill.” Alya gave him a serious look.

“He just said he had made plans with Mari. That he was gonna get ready to text her for her address since his photoshoot was ending soon.” Nino shrugged. “That’s it.”

“He didn’t say anything about how cute she is…” Alya tried to dig deeper.

Marinette bit her fingers and waited for a reply.

“Nope. But even if he did…” Nino held out his hands. “I wouldn’t say. That’s for him to tell.” He put his hands on his hips. “Marinette. Not you.” He stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend.

“Oooo… I could just-” Alya growled and held her hand out in a clawed fashion.

Marinette covered her mouth with a hand and giggled behind it. “I’ll let you go handle him.”

“Alright, have fun Mari.” Alya hung up and ran after Nino.

Marinette’s phone buzzed and she looked at the screen to see Adrien’s name show up.

 

A- Hey, Mari.

 

Marinette bit her lower lip and answered his text.

 

M- Hey, Adrien.

 

Adrien smiled in the back of his driver’s car and typed a quick text.

 

A- So, your… address?

M- Oh! Right!

Marinette hit her forehead and typed her address to him. She chewed on her fingernail and waited.

 

A- Be there in fifteen, Princess.

Marinette’s heart jumped out of her chest. Princess? Princess! She had to have died. He did not just call her a pet name.

 

M- Okay, I’ll be ready.

Marinette ran around her room like a mad woman. She threw on the pink dress that hugged her waist and flowed out at the hips. She brushed on neutral toned eyeshadow, a pale pink blush, and a light neutral pink lipstick. Her doorbell rang and she hopped towards the door slipping on her white flats. “Hang on!” She called before unlocking the door and opening it.

“Hello.” Adrien bounced with a slight wave.

She took in his gelled back hair, white button down shirt that was loose at the collar showing off his collar bones, and his low sitting tight jeans.

“Uh...hi.” Marinette smiled like a love crazed fan.

“Anyway… You look amazing.” He rocked on his heels with his hands in his pockets. “Ready to go?” He used his thumb to gesture out the door.

“Yeah.” Marinette grabbed her purse and stepped towards the door, locking it behind her.

“I hope you don’t mind. My driver drove me here.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

“That’s okay.” Marinette smiled as Adrien opened the car door for her.

Adrien smiled and shut the door behind her before running to the other side of the car.

He got in and sat beside Marinette silently tapping his thigh. “So… do you like superhero movies?”

“It’s more Alya’s thing, but I don’t mind them.” Marinette smiled over at him.

“Oh.” Adrien felt like he should have picked something different.

“But I mean… I’ve seen the trailers for this one. So, it looks good from the trailers.” She laughed nervously wrenching the hem of her dress in her hands.

“Oh. Yeah, it looked amazing.” Adrien perked up next to her and set his hand down on the seat between them, accidently grazing her fingers with his.

They both laughed nervously and brought their touched hands behind their necks. “Sorry.” They spoke in unison.

“No, me.” They both spoke before laughing more.

His driver looked back at them through the rearview mirror.

A rock song came onto the radio and Marinette couldn’t help but sing it while bobbing her head with her eyes closed. She had forgotten where she was.

Adrien’s mouth fell open. Her voice sounded so familiar, but he shrugged it off.

Marinette opened her eyes, blushed, and covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry.”

“No. No. keep singing.” Adrien waved his hands in front of his face.

“I can’t now that I know you’re listening.” Marinette bit her lip.

Adrien wanted to run his thumb along her bottom lip to free it, but he knew he couldn’t do that. Chat could, but not him. He had an image to protect. He cleared his throat. “What if I look out the window and pretend like I’m not here?”

“I still know you’re here. You’re kind of hard not to notice.” Marinette fidgeted in her seat.

“Okay then. One day.” Adrien smiled not wanting to push her.

They reached the movie theatre and Adrien ran around the car to open her door.

“Ready?” Adrien bowed and waited for her to step out of the car.

She laughed and shakily took his hand, getting out of the back seat. “Thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome, Princess.” Adrien smiled and shut the door behind her.

Marinette followed him to get tickets before they walked into the movie theatre to watch the movie.

They found seats and sat down. Adrien snuck glances at Marinette when the lights dimmed. He had never thought of her as more than a friend. Besides he had Ladybug to try to win over. His face grew hot at the thought of her. How she bit her lip and he had freed it. How her outfits seemed to always hug her curves.

“You okay?” Marinette whispered looking over at Adrien with concern on her face.

Adrien shook his head to clear his mind. “Yeah. Everything’s good.” He smiled and folded his hands in his lap to hide his predicament.

“This movie is amazing so far.” Marinette leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” Adrien smiled warmly at her.

He smirked and leaned into her arm and brought his lips near her ear. “I’m also glad you’re not stumbling over you words with me anymore.”

Marinette about dropped her chocolate candy that was in her hand. He grinned and closed her mouth with a finger under her chin.

She could have died at his words. “I- uh. Haha.” She laughed nervously. “Yeah…”

Adrien stole a piece of chocolate from her, sat back in his seat,and threw it into his mouth, perfectly with a smirk.

Marinette shoved a piece of candy in her mouth and turned back to the movie, trying to grasp her bearings.

Adrien smiled and chewed the candy, turning back to the film.

The movie ended and Adrien walked Marinette to the entrance to the theatre they had sat in. “Hey, wanna ditch my driver?” He whispered over to her.

“What?” Marinette’s eyes grew wide and she clutched her purse.

“You heard me.” Adrien chuckled.

“I mean- do-” Marinette stumbled on her words.

“Yes. I do it all the time. C’mon.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the back doors of the building.

Adrien led her to the subway and they took it to an unknown location.

“Where are we headed?” Marinette looked over at him, nervously.

“I’m taking you to a special spot that I like to hang out at.” Adrien smiled warmly at her. “Trust me?”

“Yes?” Marinette gave him a questioning look.

“You’ll love it. I promise.” Adrien listened for the stops before leading her off of the subway.

Marinette followed him blindly to the Jardin de Versailles. He led her through the flowers and to a pretty secluded spot. Adrien sat down on the green grass and patted the spot next to him.

Marinette looked at him before sitting down on the grass and spreading the skirt of her dress out.

“Sometimes I come here to get away.” Adrien sighed and laid back and looked at the sunset.

Marinette followed him and peered up at the oranges and reds in the sky. “It’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t it?” Adrien sighed and let the setting sun warm his face.

“Can I ask you something?” Marinette looked over at him.

“Sure.” Adrien peered into her eyes intently.

“Have you always known what you wanted to be?” Marinette looked at him and worried her lip.

“Well… I don’t really know what I want to do with my life.” Adrien shrugged trying to ignore her holding her lip in her mouth.

“What do you mean?” Marinette sat up on an elbow. “You have your father’s brand and you’re a very talented model and-”

“Yeah, seems like the perfect set up doesn’t it?” Adrien looked back to the sky with his hands rested on his stomach.

“Well, yeah. You have a future that is set. Not many can say that.” Marinette smiled at him.

“Most people have a choice. I don’t.” Adrien sighed.

“You always seem so happy.” Marinette’s smile fell.

“I have to be. Can’t have a sad famous designer’s son.” Adrien rolled his eyes.

“You don’t love it?” Marinette was confused. He had had days when they were kids where he seemed sad and it hurt her, but she thought he was normally happy.

“I like making my father happy. I like putting a smile on his face, even for a moment. I don’t love being a walking advertising ploy for him and his company.” Adrien looked over at her and saw her sad expression. “Don’t feel bad for me. I don’t need pity. Just another life.” He sighed.

“Well, I think you’re special and that you can do anything you put your mind to. With or without the brand.” Marinette gave him a big smile.

Adrien looked at her amazed and slowly moved his hand towards a strand of her hair that was falling in her face. He leaned in to move it. Her eyes fell from his eyes to his lips and she felt herself start to lean towards him.

“Why have I never noticed you before?” Adrien was meer inches from Marinette’s face. “Why have I never paid attention to you?”

Marinette shrugged. “I wasn’t the easiest to talk to.”

Adrien’s fingers cupped her chin and he smirked at her. Marinette felt her heart pound against her chest.

He shook his head in protest. “No, not at all. You were so easy to talk to. I just- I never looked past you being a friend.”

Marinette bit her lip. Adrien used his thumb to pull her lower lip from her teeth. “You’re beautiful, Mari.” He brushed his lips along hers. He noticed how soft her lips were and how they tasted like vanilla. Adrien assumed it was whatever was on her lips making them a pink hue.

Her hand rested on his arm and she felt him scoot his body closer. Adrien held the small of her back and he slowly deepened the kiss. He tasted of cinnamon and something she couldn’t quite place. They laid on the grass for hours, drinking each other in.

The hues of reds and oranges became midnight blue with little specks of white.

Marinette pulled away and looked into his glowing green eyes. “What time is it?”

Adrien reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. It was filled with texts and missed calls. “Eight.”

“I’m late for my meeting!” They said in unison with wide eyes.

“I got to go. It was lovely. Thank you.” Marinette got up off the ground and wiped her dress with the palms of her hands.

“Uh, me too.” Adrien ran off in the opposite direction.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chat stood at the base of the Eiffel Tower. He looked at his phone and waited. Chat looked up at the sound of running footsteps. 

“You’re late.” He smirked at Ladybug, who was panting and trying to catch her breath. 

“Sorry. Had plans.” Ladybug looked up through her dark hair. 

“It’s alright. I was running a little late too.” Chat shrugged. “I thought we could maybe discuss times to meet up? Ya know, so we can get a grip on our schedules.” 

“Right.” Ladybug sat down on the sidewalk. 

“So, if you want to write down times you’re available… we can start there.” Chat smiled and handed her a paper. 

“Okay. Sounds good.” Ladybug took the paper from him and began to write her schedule down. “Here.” She handed it back. She had been vague. She had mostly wrote that she was in school between these two times and that after that she worked for an hour on homework and then she was free. 

“Ok.” Chat looked it over. “I can work with this.” 

“What’s your schedule look like?” Ladybug expected him to hand her his schedule. 

“It’s not important. I work around you.” Chat shrugged and folded the paper up and pocketed it. 

“What? That’s not fair. I deserve to know your schedule too.” Ladybug put her hands on her hips.

“It’s not important.” Chat challenged her back. 

“Fine!” Ladybug pouted and tapped her foot. 

“You’re not gonna let it go are you?” Chat raised an eyebrow. 

“Nope.” Ladybug gave him an unamused expression. 

“Fine. I’m free with you are.” Chat answered. “That’s all I’ll give you. Use your imagination for the rest.” 

“Ugh!” Ladybug scoffed at him. 

“I’ll meet you tomorrow at 6 P.M sharp at the studio down the street from The Louvre.” Chat smirked and took off, leaving her there annoyed more than ever. 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Adrien hovered over Marinette’s name on his phone, laid on his bed, and sighed. He knew he wanted to talk to her again, but he didn’t know what to say. 

“I’ll just say hey. Why am I thinking so hard about this?” Adrien sighed again and began to type. 

A- Hey.

Marinette sat on her couch drinking a sip of tea from a cup when her phone went off. She looked at the screen and about dropped her cup. 

“What do I do? What do I do?” She began to panic. “Just text something back!” She scolded at herself. 

With shaky fingers, she typed. 

M-Hey, Adrien. How are you?

Adrien jumped at the response. “That was fast.” 

A-I’m good. How are you? 

This was going nowhere fast. Adrien groaned and hit his head on his pillow. 

M-I’m good. Just drinking tea and watching mindless television.

Adrien smirked and sat up. 

A-What type of mindless tv? 

Marinette looked over the text. She didn’t know if she should say what she was watching. It was slightly embarrassing. 

M- I don’t think I should say. 

Adrien perked up at the response and typed back quickly. 

A- You can tell me. I won’t make fun of you. 

Marinette sighed and hovered over the keyboard before she typed. 

M- I’m watching an anime where they are trapped in a virtual reality world and the only way out is to kill each other. 

She groaned and held her head in her hands. She was sure this would kill their relationship before it even had a chance to bloom more than it already had. 

A-I love that show! It’s so kick ass!

Adrien cringed at his wording, but it was too late. He had already sent it, so he sent a new text right after to try and fix it. 

A- I mean, it’s a pretty good show.

Marinette looked at her texts funny before she got a good idea. 

M- You want to come over and watch it together?

A- Sure.

The response came back to her faster than she thought it would. For some reason she found texting easier than talking to him in person or over a phone call. Her eyes went wide when she realized the poster of him on her wall. She ran to take it down before he got there.

Adrien raced out of his expensive apartment and made his way to Marinette’s house.

He knocked on her door and she opened it. 

“Hey!” Marinette smiled and let him in. 

“Hey.” Adrien awkwardly waved. 

“Make yourself at home.” Marinette smiled and closed the door behind him. 

Adrien looked around before he sat on her couch. 

“Want some tea?” Marinette rummaged through her kitchen.

“Sure. Thank you.” Adrien looked over at her. “Need some help?” 

“No, I’m okay.” Marinette smiled and set a cup on the counter and filled it. She carried it over to him, making sure not to trip. “Here you go.” 

Adrien took it with a warm smile. “English Breakfast. My Favorite.” 

“Really?” Marinette smiled and sat next to him on the couch. 

“Mm-hm.” He took a sip with his eyes closed. 

“I really like it too.” Marinette giggled and sipped on her tea. 

“Mari?” Adrien set his cup on her coffee table in front of them. 

“Yeah?” Marinette looked over at him over her steaming cup. 

“About yesterday.” He rubbed the back of his neck. 

Marinette sat her cup down beside his. 

“I didn’t mean to be so-” Adrien locked eyes with her. 

Marinette leaned in, hugged him, and kissed his cheek. “It was wonderful. Thank you.” 

“Really? I wasn’t too forward?” Adrien was shocked. 

Marinette sat back on her heels and shook her head. “No, not at all. I’m just as much to blame.” 

“Then…” Adrien leaned into her with a hungry expression. “Can I do it again?” 

“Y-yes…” Marinette stumbled over her words. 

Adrien touched her jawline and she hummed, with her eyes closed, into his hand. 

“Hm.” He smirked and ran his tongue along her bottom lip before pressing his soft lips to hers. 

Marinette sunk into the kiss and he pulled her against him on the couch till she was straddling his thighs. 

He held the small of her back and intertwined his fingers with her hair. 

Adrien’s tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she let him. Her tongue ran along his and she sighed into the kiss. Marinette’s fingers intertwined in his hair. He raised his hips to meet hers and she moved against him.   
His fingers snaked up the hem of her soft pastel pink shirt. 

She hummed against his lips and trailed her kisses down to his neck, where she sucked and licked in one spot. 

“No marks.” Adrien sighed quietly. 

“Sorry.” Marinette shied away a bit.

“No, it’s okay.” Adrien kissed her hard on the lips, bringing her back. 

Marinette moaned softly and let him undo her bra. He easily undid it with one hand. 

Adrien slowly slid his hand underneath her bra and ran his thumbs over her nipples, softly. 

She sucked in a breath against his lips and he smirked. He made small circles around each one and watched her writhe against him. Her hips moved against his and he about lost all control. 

“Mari…” Adrien growled in warning. 

Marinette tangled her fingers in his soft hair and kissed him hard on the lips, letting her tongue run along his. It was his turn to gasp for air. 

“Let’s go to my bed.” Marinette gasped looking longingly into his forest eyes. 

“Are you sure?” Adrien looked at her with a serious expression. 

Marinette bit her lip and nodded. Adrien pried her lip from her teeth with his thumb before kissing her on the lips and gently biting her bottom lip. He hoisted her so that her thighs were around his waist and stood up from the couch. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kept kissing him. 

“Where’s your room?” Adrien gasped against her kisses. 

“Down-the-hall.” Marinette answered between kisses. 

Adrien didn’t know if he would make it down the hall. She sucked on his neck and trailed kisses up to his ear, where she flicked his earlobe and sucked on it. His eyes closed and he slammed her against the hallway wall. He pinned her with his hips and ran his hands up her sides, lifting her shirt in the process. 

She moaned and threw it to the ground. Her pink bra hung loose around her shoulders. He kissed her hard and intertwined his tongue with hers before removing the bra and throwing it to the ground. His lips and tongue caught her left nipple and he flicked and rotated his tongue around her peaked nipple. 

Marinette moaned and held his head with her hands. “Adrien.” His name came out in a forced whisper and he was a goner. 

Adrien groaned and trailed kisses up to her neck and gripped her ass before kissing her on her soft swollen lips again. 

“Bed. Please.” Marinette whined against his kisses. 

“As you wish, Princess.” Adrien carried her the rest of the way to her bedroom and laid her on the bed before laying on top of her between her thighs.

He kissed from her soft lips to the waistline of her grey knit pants. “May I?” Adrien looked up at Marinette through his blond hair. 

Marinette bit her lip and nodded. Adrien hooked his fingers in the soft band and pulled them down over her hips, revealing pink lace see through cheeky panties.   
He groaned at the sight of her body. “You’re so beautiful, Mari.” 

Marinette blushed and smiled warmly with bedroom eyes. “I feel severely underdressed compared to you right now.” 

“Oh, right.” Adrien blushed and raised his tight black v-neck tee over his head, revealing a well toned body, and six pack abs. Her gaze wandered to the deep v of his pelvis and how his jeans sat low with the band of Gabriel brand black boxer briefs peeking from the waistband.

“Oh-my-G-” Marinette felt like she had died and gone to heaven. 

Adrien chuckled at her. “Care to pick your mouth off the floor?” 

“Sorry.” Marinette laughed nervously. 

He started to undo his belt buckle when Marinette’s hands. caught his. “Can I?” 

Adrien smiled warmly and dropped his hands. “Be my guest.” 

Marinette smiled and sat up to bring his lips down to hers. She ran her hands up his torso and slowly trailed her fingers down to the band of his jeans. He hummed against her lips with his eyes closed. She broke the kiss and licked her lips, as his heavy lidded eyes fell to her bedroom blues. She popped open his belt buckle and yanked the belt from his jean’s loops. He bit her bottom lip, holding her face in his hands. His tongue ran along her tongue, as she unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped them. 

She yanked them down over his hips and he kicked them off before laying her back onto the bed. 

__________________________________________________________

Marinette woke up underneath her comforter. She yawned and felt something soft underneath her right hand. Something tickled her nose and she rubbed her nose with her hand. Her eyes fluttered open to see messy hair in a soft golden shade. Oh God! She fell out of bed with her eyes wide. She grabbed the nearest clothing item she could find and threw it on. Marinette looked down to realise she had thrown on his shirt. It reached down to just above her knees. 

“Hey, Princess.” Adrien yawned and looked over at her with tired eyes. 

“Did we?” Marinette looked at him. 

“Yes.” Adrien thought for a moment. “About three times, in fact.” He slowly sat up. “What time is it?” 

Marinette shook her head and looked at the clock beside her bed. “Three in the morning.” 

“Oh crap. I have to get up in like three hours for a shoot.” Adrien jumped up and threw on his boxers and jeans. 

“Oh.” Marinette quickly slipped on her knit pants and she turned away to take his shirt off.

Adrien watched the fabric slink along her back and shoulder muscles. He swallowed hard. His mind wandered to Ladybug. Shit, Ladybug. He began to panic. What was he doing? Did he like Marinette or Ladybug? He couldn’t have both. Could he? Of course, not. He shook his head. When he focused on her, he noticed she had put on her pink shirt.

“Are you okay?” Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Yeah. Thanks for… everything. I’ll text you later.” Adrien threw his shirt on, grabbed her shoulder with his hand, and kissed her on the cheek, before leaving her apartment.

Marinette was left confused. Her heart pounded in her chest and she couldn’t sleep. Marinette looked at her phone and texted Alya.


	7. Chapter 7

Ladybug walked up to the studio to meet up with Chat at 6 O’ Clock. She was a little early, but she figured it was fine. Ladybug breathed out and adjusted her mask before opening the doors. 

A woman in really nice clothing sat at the front desk.

“Hello, do you have an appointment?” She looked at Ladybug while typing on her computer. 

“She’s here to see me.” Chat sauntered out of a recording room. 

The woman nodded and Ladybug walked over to Chat, awkwardly. 

“Ya ready?” Chat smirked at her. 

Something about him seemed off, but she couldn’t quite place it. 

“Yep.” Ladybug shouldered her bag and followed him into the sound room. 

“Here, you can sit here.” Chat brought over a stool for her to sit on. 

“Thanks.” She looked at him like he had come from a different universe. 

Chat smiled at her, brought a stool over for himself, cleared his throat,and grabbed the sheet music from the black grand piano in the room. 

Ladybug looked at him confused.

Chat looked over at her from his paper. “What?” 

“Somethings…” She tapped her finger on her chin. “Off about you?” 

Chat blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “How do you mean?” He chuckled awkwardly. 

“I don’t know…” Ladybug raised an eyebrow. “You just don’t seem like you’re as energized or something.” 

“Well… I didn’t drink any… caffeine?... today?” Chat cringed at her words, hoping she’d drop it. 

“What’d you do last night?” Ladybug questioned him. 

“How about we focus back on the song.” Chat tried to veer off from the conversation. 

“Alright. It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me.” Ladybug shrugged and looked down intently at the song in his trembling hands. 

“Okay.” Chat handed the sheet music over with the lyrics. “Here’s the music.” 

Ladybug took the sheet from him and looked it over. “Did you really write this?” 

“Yeah.” Chat smiled at her and licked his lips. “Wrote every line. Took me months to get it just right.” 

“It just doesn’t seem… very you.” Ladybug winced.

“Well, I’m full of surprises.” Chat smirked at her and leaned in slightly. The smell of leather and something mysterious washed over her. Her heart raced at the scent.

Chat suddenly stood up and grabbed his electric guitar from a stand. He plugged a long cord from a nearby amp into his radioactive green Jackson JS 1X Rhoads Minion. He sat back down on the stool and adjusted himself comfortably. 

“So, the guitar sounds like this.” He began to play the whole song with the guitar. 

Ladybug closed her eyes and bobbed her head to the music, getting a feel for the song. 

“Alright, then here’s the melody.” Chat began to hum the lyrics while strumming the music. 

Ladybug started humming along with him and opened her eyes to meet his. 

Chat stopped strumming and rested his wrist on the body of the guitar. “Got it?” 

“I think so. Can we do a run through with the lyrics?” Ladybug looked deeply into his forest green eyes.

“Sure. If you’re ready.” Chat adjusted his mask, rubbed his nose with his strumming hand, and cleared his throat. “So, I kind of wrote it unconventionally. You see our voices meld together on the first verse. Then I sing the second part. Then we sing together again. Then it’s your turn and then we end the song together. Make sense?” 

“You wrote it backwards?” Ladybug raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Yeah.” Chat smiled at her with a laugh. “Thought I’d change it up.” 

“Interesting…” Ladybug thought about it. “Could be cool.” She shrugged. 

They had gone over the song a few times and Chat stood up to put his guitar back on the stand. 

Ladybug wrung her hands together in her lap. “Um… Chat?” 

“Yeah?” Chat didn’t look away from setting his guitar on the stand. 

“Why are you being so nice today? You’re not being crazy. You’re not being overly flirty… You’re…” Ladybug sighed and looked over at his back. She watched him slowly turn around with an awkward expression on his face like he really wanted her to stop talking. “I just don’t recognize you, this way.” 

Chat swallowed hard. He stuck out his pointer finger with a hand on his hip like he wanted to say something, anything. But nothing would come out. He took a moment to think and caught her gaze. “I told you to give me a week to show you that I’m not that bad, right?” He hoped it would stop her wandering mind. 

“Yes?” Ladybug looked at him skeptically. 

“So… I’m doing what I promised.” Chat’s smile turned into a dark smirk and he quickly slid towards her and put his hands on either side of her shoulders on the keyboard behind her. “But… if you want the old Chat back?...” His lips were mere inches from hers.

Ladybug pushed him away by his nose. “The new Chat will do, thanks.” She smiled warmly at him with reddened cheeks. 

“Thought so.” Chat smiled and backed up from her. “I think we’ve done enough for today. Same time tomorrow?” 

“Alright, Chat.” Ladybug got up from her seat and made her way out of the studio. 

Chat sunk to the floor and grabbed his hair. How long could he keep this up? 

______________________________________________________________

Marinette sat on her couch and started sketching out new clothing designs in her sketchbook. Her mind was lost in confusion. She loved Adrien. She’s loved him for so long, but something about Chat caught her heart on fire. Something about him was so appealing. Maybe it was his mysterious nature? The fact that she didn’t know who he was behind the mask… But she knew it was wrong to like two men. She’d end up breaking one of their hearts and she didn’t think she could handle that. 

Her phone dinged and she looked over at it seeing a text from Adrien. 

A- Hey, love. 

Marinette’s heart melted and she clutched her phone to her chest. She felt like she was floating away. 

M- Hey, Adrien. What are you up to?

Adrien sat on his couch with the television on, playing the news. He smiled at the text. 

A- Watching mindless tv. You?

Marinette tapped her pencil to her lip and typed with her knees drawn up to her chest. 

M- Just sketching out some new clothing designs for fun. 

Adrien smirked at the text and looked out the window. Something in his heart sank for a moment. What about Ladybug? What was she doing? What was he doing? He had to decide between the two women. He couldn’t have both. Maybe he should just tell Ladybug, how he felt. Maybe then he’d know who to pick. 

A- Sounds amazing. I’d love to see them sometime. 

Marinette bit her bottom lip. 

M-Maybe, one day… I’ll show you. 

Adrien bit his bottom lip with a smile.

A- Can I call you?

Marinette about fell off her couch before responding with shaky hands.

M- Yes.

Her phone rang a second later and she about dropped it, clumsily. 

“Hey…” Marinette nervously spoke into her phone.

“Hi.” Adrien walked over to his bedroom and flopped onto his large bed. 

“So… you wanted to talk to me?” Marinette picked at the arm of her couch. 

“I was wondering… when did you know you wanted to be a designer?” Adrien peered towards proofs of modeling photos of his on a nearby desk.

“Let’s see…” Marinette tapped the pencil on her chin again. “Probably at a pretty young age. I remember trying on my mom’s clothes and heels when I was really small. I always loved fabrics. Actually, I think it all started when I saw designs made by Gabriel Agreste.” She blushed at the thought. 

“My father?” Adrien’s eyes grew wide with shock. 

“Yeah! He’s my favorite designer.” Marinette smiled with her eyes closed tight. 

“His style is… interesting.” Adrien shrugged and picked at his grey comforter. 

“Anyway, I had a really nice time- ya know.” She tapped her fingers together and looked off to the side. 

Adrien felt his face turn red and hot. “Yeah. Me too.” 

“Sorry, I kind of flipper-” Marinette cringed at her words. “-flipped out.” 

Adrien gently laughed a little covering his mouth with his hand. “It’s okay. It was cute.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I left so suddenly.” Adrien rested his hand beneath the band of his black boxer briefs. 

“No, no. It was understandable.” Marinette waved her hand in front of her face. “You had to get up soon.” 

“I wish I didn’t have to. I wish I could have stayed in your bed for hours. Just holding you.” His hand slid further down and he sighed. 

“Yeah…” Marinette’s eyelids lowered in pure bliss at the thought. 

“Next time.” Adrien smiled and removed his hand from the band of his boxers. “Well, I should go to bed. I’ll see you in class tomorrow?” 

“Yeah. Sure.” Marinette perked up all of a sudden.

“Night, Mari.” Adrien spoke sweetly. 

“Night, Adrien.” Marinette had a derpy smile on her face before she heard him hang up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: Tangled Up In You by Staind

Adrien’s apartment door flung open and his father stomped his way inside.

“This girl better be amazing, Adrien!” Gabriel held his arms behind his back and threw a paper down on Adrien’s lap.

The front page held a photo of him with Marinette. They looked to be in a intimate pose. “Considering, the shit you just pulled?! Do you even look to see if people are watching? You know people are always watching!”

Adrien sat at his dining room table, eating breakfast in shock, holding the paper in his hands. “I didn’t know. I swear!” 

Gabriel slammed his hands down on the table. “I don’t care how… but you need to watch what you’re doing! Remember, I hold your freedom of being Chat Noir in my grasp! I can take it away in seconds flat.” He scowled at his son. 

Adrien’s shoulders slumped. He was an adult, yet here he was being treated like a child. 

“Don’t let this-” Gabriel waved his hand in the air. “Girl! Get in the way of your future! She’s a very important girl to me. She doesn’t need trouble like you.” He slammed his palm down on the table again. 

“I’m sorry, father.” Adrien couldn’t make eye contact with his father. “I’ll fix it.” 

“You better!” Gabriel stormed towards the front door before turning to look at his son. “I own this place. I can take it away too.” He slammed the door, leaving Adrien a mess looking at the headline with a heavy sigh.

_______________________________________________________________

Adrien walked into class late and with his shoulders slumped. Marinette sat in her desk and watched him with her pencil to her lips. 

He sat in the back of the class, away from her. Usually, he would sit next to her at her table, but today he didn’t. 

She knew something was wrong, but she didn’t know what and it bothered her to pieces. 

Marinette bit the end of her pencil in worry. She spent the whole time in class sneaking glances at him, barely paying attention to the lesson. 

“I want you to read up on chapter seven.” The instructor spoke, holding the textbook in her hands. 

Adrien packed up his bookbag and was headed out the door when Marinette grasped onto his arm. “Everything okay?”

Adrien looked at her with a fake model smile. “Everything is fine, princess. I’ll text you after my photoshoot.” 

“Okay.” Marinette smiled back.

She knew he was hiding something and it broke her inside that she couldn’t do anything about it. 

_________________________________________________________________

 

Chat was sitting on the edge of the Eiffel Tower holding his acoustic guitar. The stars lit up the sky and the tower was lit up for the night. He strummed his guitar and sighed looking out over the city. Chat pulled out his phone to text Ladybug. 

C- Hey, m’Lady.

Marinette stopped sewing her latest creation and looked at her phone with a shocked expression. 

C- Care to join me on the Eiffel Tower? I have a surprise for you. 

Marinette was confused as to what it could be. A part of her was also scared of what it could be. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard on her phone. 

M- I’m a little afraid of what that could be, Chat. And I thought I said no pet names. 

Chat smirked at his screen and looked out to the city before answering her. 

C- Is it not fitting though, Ladybug? 

Marinette’s face fell with unenthusiasm. 

M- Not really.

Chat sighed at her response before typing something back. 

C- Just come meet me. I wanna talk… about the song. 

Marinette sighed and reluctantly told him she would be there in a few. 

Chat sat his phone down with a smile and waited for her to show up. 

Marinette threw on a red top and black pants with boots. She put her mask on and made her way to the Eiffel Tower. 

At first, she didn’t see him anywhere until she looked up. He was sitting on one of the iron bars. 

“Seriously?” She looked up. 

“What, you chicken?” Chat smirked down at her, holding his guitar. 

“No…” Ladybug started to climb up the steel bars till she sat next to him. “Okay, what about the song? Did you change something about it?”

“I wanna play you something.” Chat smiled at her and began to strum his guitar. His voice slowly filtered in with the words. 

 

You’re my world…  
the shelter from the rain.  
You’re the pills  
that take away my pain.  
You’re the light   
that helps me find my way.  
You’re the words   
when I have nothing to say.

And in this world….  
where nothing else is true.  
Here I am…  
still tangled up in you  
I’m still tangled up in you

Still tangled up in you….

 

Marinette’s eyes widened at the song. She recognized it and all of her negative thoughts about him slowly melted away. Chat closed his eyes and she thought she saw a tear fall from his eyes. How long had he been sitting here? How bad was his life that he could be so sad? She bit her lip, as her heart fell. 

 

You’re the fire  
that warms me when I’m cold.  
You’re the hand I have to hold  
as I grow old.  
You’re the shore  
when I am lost at sea.  
You’re the only thing   
that I like about   
Me….

And in this world…  
where nothing else is true.  
Here I am…  
still tangled up in you……  
I’m still tangled up in you…

How long has it been  
since this story line began?  
And I hope it never ends  
and goes like this for...ever…

In this world where nothing else is true….  
Here I am…  
Still tang..led… up in you………..  
Tangled up in you.

I’m still tangled up in you…

 

Chat strummed the song to an end and slowly opened his eyes to look at her. Her mouth was open and her eyes were surprised. Chat brought his hand to his eyes, realizing the tear there and quickly brushed it away. “Sorry.” He sheepishly apologized to her. 

“No, no. It’s alright.” Ladybug waved her hands in front of her face. “No need to apologize. I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but… thank you. Thank you for playing me that song. It was beautiful.” 

“I just wanted you to hear how I feel.” Chat looked away, as his cheeks turned red. 

All of a sudden it hit Ladybug. She had been so distracted with Adrien that she hadn’t thought about Chat. 

“I’m really sorry.” Ladybug looked away from him. “I-”

“Have someone else?” Chat tilted his head sideways to look at her. His heart sank.

“Y-yes…” Ladybug looked down at her lap. “It’s all very recent though.” 

Chat nodded his head and fell into a spiraling dark hole. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you here.” He jumped off of the metal strut and walked away from her, letting the tears fall when he knew she wasn’t looking. Even though he had Mari, it still hurt to be told something like that from a girl he really had an interest in. Although, his father seemed against him being with Marinette, but he wasn’t gonna let that get in the way.

Ladybug looked confused and brought her hands to her eyes in defeat. Maybe she could give him a chance? Just a little one? But she was with Adrien. She couldn’t have both. She sighed and let tears fall from her eyes.

________________________________________________________

 

Marinette sat at home when her phone made a chirping sound. She looked down and saw it was Alya. 

Alya- Hey, girl! Wanna go out with me and look for new outfits? I need a good date outfit for the movies. 

Marinette smiled, but then she looked over at her half done project still attached to her sewing machine and she sighed.

M- I would… but I have a project to finish. 

Alya shook her head and smiled when realization hit her.

Alya- Adrien will be there.

Marinette about dropped her phone. 

M- Where do you wanna meet?

Alya shook her head and held a hand to her forehead.

Alya- Oh, girl… The mall near my college. 

Marinette smiled and perked up.

M- Be there in a few.

She stumbled around and threw her clothes around until she found a dress. It was short and white with a lace trim along the bottom. Marinette held it up to her in the mirror and smiled. 

“Perfect.” She bit her bottom lip with a smile before slipping it on. 

The mall was busy, but she managed to spot them. She noticed Adrien first. He stood in tight jeans, a green button down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, and he wore all white converse. He was standing with one hand in his pocket and his hip cocked out. Adrien looked amazing. She sighed, hopeless.

“Mari!” Alya waved to get her attention. Marinette shook her head and made her way over to them. “Hey, girl!” 

Adrien turned around to see her and he blushed, but something about him seemed off. 

“Hey!” Marinette smiled at them. 

Adrien smiled at her, but she could tell it wasn’t a real smile. 

“So, I need help finding a new top.” Alya was the most excited out of the three of them. “One that Nino will love.”

Adrien finally broke eye contact with Marinette. “We’re here, at your service.” He bowed towards Alya. 

“Okay… then.” Alya laughed at his movements. 

Adrien blushed and laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck after standing up straight.

“Let’s go then!” Alya led them around the mall and they trailed behind. 

Marinette leaned over towards him. “Is everything okay? You seem a bit off.” 

“Yeah, just-” Adrien tried to think of an excuse. “Long night.” 

“Ah. I know what you mean.” .Marinette warmly smiled at him before hugging him from the side, as they walked. 

“I doubt it.” Adrien whispered under his breath, as he looked off to the side in shame. 

Alya finally found a store and led them into it. She grabbed top after top from the racks. “How about this? Or this? Or... this?”

Adrien and Marinette sat watching her come out of a dressing room in a million different shirts. They began to slowly fall into each other. Their eyes began to close. 

“Hey! I found it!” Alya jumped out of the dressing room in a orange satin tank that had straps for days that criss crossed. “Are you guys sleeping?” 

“Sorry.” They both sat up in unison and looked at her. 

“That’s perfect! It looks so good on you.” Marinette was shocked with how well it fit her body. 

“Yeah, Nino will love it.” Adrien smiled up at her. 

“Alright, let’s buy it and go.” Alya smiled and ran back in to change clothes. 

“Can I show you something? Take you somewhere?” Adrien leaned over and whispered into Marinette’s ear.

“What about your driver? Didn’t he bring you here?” Marinette whispered back, not taking her eyes off of the dressing room. 

“I’ve escaped before.” Adrien shrugged. “I can do it again.” 

“Oh.” Marinette looked over at him. “Okay, but what about Alya?” 

“She’ll understand.” Adrien winked at her. 

Alya came out of the room. “Ready?”

“Marinette is not feeling well. I’ll make sure she makes it home okay.” Adrien smiled up at Alya. 

“Oh no… alright. I’ll just go pay for the top and then we’ll catch up later.” Alya smiled and walked off. “Feel better, Mari.” 

Marinette felt terrible about lying to her best friend. “You’re terrible.” She looked at Adrien horrified and all he did was shrug his shoulders. 

“Let’s go.” Adrien took her hand and pulled her out of the store and eventually out of the mall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Songs: 
> 
> Perfect by Ed Sheeran
> 
> I Apologize by Five Finger Death Punch

They caught the subway and made their way to some unknown place.

“So… where are we headed?” Marinette peered up at him. 

“I want to take you to another secret place I like to go to. You wanna see it?” He held onto the bar of the subway car. 

“Sure.” Marinette sucked on her bottom lip nervously.

Adrien’s eyes fell to her mouth and he licked his lips subconsciously. Something about his demeanor reminded her of Chat, but that wasn’t possible. 

“You need to ditch that dress though.” Adrien gestured towards her outfit with one hand. “It won't work in a place like I'm taking you, princess.”

Marinette looked at him in shock.

“I didn’t mean for that to come off the way it did” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

“What’s wrong with my dress?” Marinette looked down at her clothes.

“Like I said… it won’t work with where we’re going.” Adrien shrugged. “You’ll stand out like Alice when she falls down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.” He stuck his hand out to gesture his point.

“Oddly… specific.” Marinette winced at him.

Adrien leaned into her with a chat-like smirk. “I can be more oddly specific, if you’d like.” 

Marinette’s cheeks became tinged with red and she looked at him weird. “Where did you hide Adrien?” 

“Still here. My father expects me to act in a certain way.” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “He controls every aspect of me. Have to keep up the Gabriel brand aesthetic.” 

“Maybe, but I like that part of you.” Marinette held her arms into herself. 

“I can turn it on if you want, Princess.” He knelt down and kissed her hand. “Better?” 

“No, because now it just feels fake. Who are you? The real you?” Marinette raised an eyebrow up at him. 

“Adrien Agreste. A fun loving, fast paced, man with many secrets.” He smirked and gave her a very Chat like wink. 

“Oh God.” She covered her mouth with her hands. 

Adrien looked at her sideways confused. Marinette reached out her hands and ruffled his neatly placed blonde hair and tried to imagine him with a black mask. 

“Oh no.” Marinette could have fainted. “Sing.”

“What?!” Adrien was taken aback by her comment and nearly fell forward, but he caught himself.

“You heard me.” She placed her hands on her hips angrily. “Sing!”

Adrien sighed and his shoulders fell. He began to sing Perfect by Ed Sheeran.

 

I found a love.  
For… me….  
Darling just dive right in   
And follow my lead.  
I found a girl…  
Beautiful and sweet.  
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me…

 

Marinette put a hand up in the air and closed her eyes. “Stop. Not that. Sing a song from the genre we’re talking about here.” Her fierce blue eyes met his neon green ones. 

“Please, don’t. Mari...” Adrien sighed and peered at her through strands of blonde. If he were a cat… his ears would be flat against his head.

“Oh no… I think you should.” Marinette glared at him. “Sing it.” 

“Not here.” Adrien whined at her. “Just… wait.” 

“Fine, but we’re getting off at the next stop and you’re singing.” Marinette poked him in the chest. 

“Fine...” Adrien breathed out. 

The subway came to a stop and they stepped off of it. Marinette yanked him by the shirt behind a wall and pushed him into it. “Sing.” 

Adrien rolled his eyes and started singing a cover of I Apologize by Five Finger Death Punch. 

 

One day I’ll face the Hell inside me..  
Someday I’ll accept what I have done.  
Sometime I’ll leave the past behind me  
For now I accept who I’ve become!  
And now I see clearly…

 

“I knew it!” She shoved him again. “I trusted you! I believed you were some amazing man!” She paced back and forth. “I HAD my friend try to make me believe that you could be someone different! And then she had me audition for your little thing! And then you played me a cover of that song… on the Eiffel Tower. I should have known by the song!” She poked him in the chest with her finger. “I even slept with you!”

“Wait! Hold up!” Adrien looked at her dumbfounded. “You’re Ladybug. THE Ladybug?” 

“So, what?!” Marinette screamed at him. “Why does it matter? Deals off. Figure your way out of your own problems yourself!” 

Adrien was on cloud 9. “Mari is Ladybug…” He sighed. 

“Wake up!” Marinette shook him by the shoulder.

“Sing.” Adrien finally came down to Earth. 

“What’s the point?” Marinette threw her arms into the air. 

“Because. I don’t believe it.” Adrien challenged her with his arms crossed across his chest. 

“Fine!” Marinette began to sing the song she had written recently. 

“Hey. That’s pretty good. Did you write that?” Adrien tapped his chin with a slender finger. 

“Yeah, I did.” Marinette seethed at him. “In between sewing and trying to keep my grades up for your father’s school!” 

“So… you still want the offer of being a songwriter?” Adrien challenged. 

“I don’t want to admit it, but yes…” Marinette peered down at her feet, deflated. 

“Then… date me, all of me.” Adrien brought her eyes to peer into his. “Date me, Mari. Date me and help me get out of this mess.” 

“You’re a fake.” Marinette glared at him and ripped her face from his hand. 

“Look you love Adrien. I’m Adrien. But I’m also Chat. I’m a weird kind of in between the two.” He grinned at her.”You want to be a songwriter and a fashion designer and I want to start over. Besides you’re just as fake, Lady-bug.” 

“Alright, fine.” Marinette sighed and slumped her shoulders. “But only if you show me the real you. Not the fake one. The real Adrien.” 

“Deal.” Adrien stuck out his hand to shake on it. “I promise to show you the real me. No restraints.” 

“Alright, and I’ll show the real me.” Marinette shook on it. “Although, I can’t say that I’ve hid it from you, ever.” 

“Right… because Ladybug is the real you.” Adrien rolled his eyes.

“Actually… she’s probably closer than you think.” Marinette shrugged. 

“You still up for that secret place?” Adrien gestered away from them. 

“Fine.” Marinette gave in. 

“You still can't wear that dress, as pretty as it is.” He smiled at her warmly. 

“Alright, what do I need to wear?” Marinette gave him an unamused expression. “I don’t see why I need to change for your little secret place.”

“I’ll show you. And… I’m buying.” He took her hand and guided her out of the underground subway to the shops on the street. 

“I may not be rich, but I can afford my own clothes.” Marinette gave him a look. 

“I’m your boyfriend, remember? Let me treat you once in a while.” Adrien winked and yanked her into an edgy clothing shop. 

She sighed and gave up and let him drag her off inside. Stone Sour’s song, Song #3 played over the store’s stereo system.

He grabbed shirts, pants, dresses, and skirts off the racks and threw them into her arms. She sighed and followed him around. 

Adrien steered her into a dressing room and waited outside.

“Is this necessary?” Marinette called from the room she was in, as she pulled her dress over her head.

“Yes, yes it is.” Adrien crossed his arms. “Now, show me what you got.” 

Marinette rolled her eyes and flung the curtain open and leaned against the wall with her foot up on the frame of the room in a black lace mini dress. 

His mouth fell to the floor. “Uh…” He shook his head. “Something else.” He waved his hand for her to go back in.

She groaned and went back in before flinging open the curtain again in a black tutu skirt and tank top with black stockings. “And?” She spun and flung her hands down on the skirt when she realized it flew up a little too high. A blush took over her cheeks. 

Adrien covered his eyes and laughed. “Yeah… no. Maybe later tonight.” 

“What the Hell!” She hit him in the chest before running back into the dressing room. 

“Sorry. I couldn’t help it.” Adrien laughed rubbing his chest. 

“You’re incorrigible.” Marinette scolded him before opening the curtain to reveal a loose black tank top and torn black jeggings. “And?” 

“Good. Now, my turn.” Adrien smirked and ran off to pick out a leather jacket, a retro black torn band tee, and a pair of tight black jeans. 

He paid for all of the items and they walked out with two bags. “Now, we just need to go change somewhere.” 

“If you remember, my apartment is around the corner.” Marinette gestured with her thumb, unamused. 

“Sounds purrfect.” Adrien purred and looked at her with dreamy eyes. 

“To change. Nothing else. Don’t get your hopes up.” Marinette rolled her eyes and lead the way. 

Marinette unlocked her apartment and held out her hand for him to step inside. That was when she realised she had a poster of him on her wall. She quickly ran ahead and pulled it down and hid it.

“You can change in the bathroom.” Marinette opened and flipped on the light on in her bathroom.

“Thanks.” Adrien shut the bathroom door after handing her the bag. 

Marinette went into her room and took the clothing out of the bag. She sighed and looked it over. It wasn’t really her style, but if she had to wear it to get into wherever it was he was dragging her. She’d give it a chance. Besides the dark side of her had always wanted to wear it. 

She walked out of her room once she was dressed and felt her heart pound in her chest at the sight of him.

The clothes fit him perfectly and brought out the green of his eyes. “Oh I almost forgot.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans that laid on the back of her couch and slipped Chat’s black mask over his eyes. “You should probably put yours on, bug-a-boo...” He grinned at the nickname. 

“Do you always carry that with you?” She growled and rolled her eyes. 

“I do. Along with the bracelet you gave me for good luck. It hasn’t let me down yet, m’Lady.” Adrien pulled the old fraying charm bracelet from his black pants pocket.  
Marinette’s mouth fell open. She shook her head and left the room to get her mask. “Be right back.” 

Marinette came back out of her room with a red mask around her eyes. “We good, now?” She adjusted her loose shirt. 

“Yes, yes we are.” Adrien smiled a devious smile.

“When Chat comes out to play, he really does, doesn’t he.” Marinette smirked. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Adrien didn’t know if he should be offended or not. 

“Nothing.” Marinette bit her lip and moments later Adrien had his thumb on her lip, freeing it.

“I said if you did that again…” He brought his lips dangerously close to hers. “I’d give you a reason to.” 

His breath was warm on her lips and hers parted. She could barely control her breathing. He released her with a smile. “I got you right where I want you, Ladybug. Now, let’s go play. You’re in my den now.” 

Marinette could have melted into the floor. She followed him like a lovesick puppy and she didn’t even know what had gotten into her. He was so infuriating, yet so daring… dark… and incredibly sexy and he smelt amazing.

Adrien pulled her through the street to what appeared to be an abandoned building. 

He knocked on the back door and it cracked open. “What’s the password?” A familiar voice asked.

“Meow Motherfucker.” Chat purred and Marinette’s heart faltered. Who was this man in front of her? 

The door opened, revealing Nino, and Chat grabbed her hand. “C’mon.” He yanked her into the stairway.

Marinette looked back at Nino in shock.

Loud rock music pulsed through the walls and the stairway opened up to a giant room filled with dancing bodies. Her head was swimming with thoughts. Was Alya there too? How long had Alya known or Nino? Did they know? 

“No one knows, Bugaboo.” Chat smirked and spoke into her ear. “Just you.”

He took her to his V.I.P booth and let her slide in first. “To everyone, I’m just Chat Noir.” 

“You own this?” Marinette looked at him with shocked eyes. 

“I own part of it. Nino holds the other half. A few nights a week he DJs.” Chat shrugged and then yanked her closer by her thighs. “But enough about that. I’m more interested in you.” He half closed his eyes in interest before trailing kisses down her neck. 

Marinette hummed and sank into it before realization hit. She flung her body away from him. “Wait. I just found out you were Chat. I don’t want this. I’m not ready for this.” 

The night with Adrien returned to her thoughts like a secret dream and her body buzzed with emotion and heat rose up from her toes. 

Marinette shrugged and climbed onto his lap, faced him, kissed him hard on the lips, and sank her fingers into his messy locks of blonde hair. 

He moaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. Chat didn’t care who could see. His fingers wandered up the back of her top and unhooked her red lace bra. 

She deepened the kiss and let him move his hands underneath her bra to play with her soft breasts. She moved her hips to grind against the bulge in his jeans. Chat let out a soft moan at the sensation. 

“Wanna move this somewhere more secluded?” Chat breathed against her lips with hooded eyes. 

Marinette bit her lip and nodded. 

Chat removed her caught lip with his thumb and bit her trembling lip before kissing her hard and sinking a hand in the back of her hair. 

She got up off of him and he grabbed her hand to take her to a room in the back. It appeared to be an office of some sort. 

“Welcome to my-” Marinette caught his lips the moment he began to speak and she pushed his back against the wall and ran her hands underneath his shirt. “Office.” He moaned and caught her lips again. 

She smirked and kissed him back harder, losing control of her hips as they pressed against his, pinning him to the wall. 

“Fuck…” He sighed, as her hands skimmed down his body and she fell to her knees in front of him. Her blue bell eyes fell to his and he felt like he was going to die.

Marinette undid the button on his jeans and slowly slid down the zipper before her hand found where he needed her most. 

He bit his lip and let a moan escape his lips. She slowly rubbed her hand along his hardened length. Marinette smiled up at him and bit her lip before slowly running her tongue around the head of his dick. He hissed and touched the back of her head. “Mari…” 

“Nuh-uh. It’s Ladybug, Chaton.” Marinette smiled wickedly up at him before taking the head of his swollen cock into her mouth and she began sucking, slowly taking more of him in. 

“Oh my God.” His knees buckled and he clung to her. “Lady...bug.”

“Not yet, Pussycat.” Marinette smirked up at him and ran her hand up and down him. 

“You’ll be the death of me.” Chat groaned and bit his lip. 

Marinette giggled and took him into her mouth again and he let out a groan in response. 

His legs shook as he got closer and closer. “Wait.” He reached underneath her chin and she released him with a pop sound before looking into his deep green eyes. “Come here.” Chat watched her get up off of her knees and stand before him. He slid off his mask and threw it onto the desk. “I want to be me for this. The real me.”

Marinette’s mouth fell open and she did the same with hers. He pulled her against him and touched her jaw before flicking his tongue along her top lip. She caught his lips with hers and kissed him hard. 

He lifted her by the ass and walked her to the desk. Adrien helped slide her pants off and tore her pink panties down the sides while he nibbled and sucked on a spot on her neck. He pulled her by the hips closer to his throbbing cock. 

She reached between her legs and let her fingers touch where she needed him most. Adrien smirked and grabbed her hand, ruining her self satisfaction, and replaced it with his own talented fingers. 

She sucked in a breath, moaned, and leaned her forehead onto his shoulder. “That’s it, Bugaboo.” He whispered in her ear and made small circles on her swollen clit. 

She gasped and bit his shoulder. He let out a soft moan at the sensation and removed his hand before pushing himself into her tight opening. She screamed out and he waited for her to get used to him being inside of her. 

“Ready?” He made small circles on her clit again, causing her to get wetter. 

“Yes… please.” She breathed and begged against his skin. She wanted more of him. All of him.

He started to move his hips slowly before speeding up. Closer by Nine Inch Nails began to play from the club. Adrien smirked and reached into a drawer and pulled out a black cloth. He brought her hands behind her back and tied them together. She gasped and looked at him with sultry eyes. She arched her back and he captured one of her hardened nipples with his mouth. He circled it with his tongue and began to suck on her hardened peak. She let out a gasp and came around him. 

Adrien smirked before pulling out and flipping her over so that she was leaning over the desk. Marinette gasped and looked back at him. He slid into her wet sex again and held onto the binds around her wrists and fucked her harder. 

Marinette bit her lip and moaned, as her nipples grazed the desktop. 

He moved harder and faster until he felt himself tighten up and swell up more. Adrien let out a moan, untied her binds, pulled out, and released himself onto her arched back. She whimpered and her hips bucked. 

“Close, again?” Adrien panted and looked down at her. 

Marinette looked back at him and bit her lip with a nod and blushed, a little embarrassed. He spun her around and picked her up to sit on the desk. He leaned her back by lightly placing a hand on her chest. Adrien smirked and parted her thighs before bringing his lips down to her sex. 

She moaned his name and clenched her thighs around his head and grabbed his hair in her hands. He sucked on her clit and flicked his tongue against her rapidly and she unfurled around him in a burst of fireworks. 

He backed up from her and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before kissing her lightly on the lips. She smiled at him with dreamy eyes before they got dressed and repositioned their masks.

“So… care for a drink?” Chat smirked and held his hand out to leave the office. 

“Alright.” Marinette giggled behind her hand. “But we’re cutting it close to a meeting I have.” 

“You mean with me?” Chat smiled at her. “I think you’ll be forgiven.” 

Chat guided her out of the office and made his way to the bar. 

“Is that your girl?” The bartender smiled at him and slammed a glass on the bar to fill it. 

“You got it. This is Ladybug, the winner of my contest.” Chat dropped his arm from her waist. 

He pulled a mic from behind the bar and handed it to Chat. “You know what to do.” He winked at Chat and Chat smirked with a short laugh. 

Chat braced his weight on the bar table and hoisted himself up onto it with ease. “Attention!” 

“QUIET EVERYONE!” Nino yelled with his hands up in the air, as he cut the music. “CHAT HAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT!” 

“Thanks.” Chat nodded to his best friend. “I’m here to officially announce the winner of the contest to the club!” He peered down at Marinette. “Come up here.” He whispered and waved her up. 

Two men next to her helped her up onto the bar. Chat grabbed her arm and held it in the air. “This here is Ladybug! She’s my new duet partner!” 

“Sing! Sing! Sing!” The crowd erupted in a chant and pumped the air. 

Chat shrugged and looked over at her. “Ya up for it?” 

Ladybug could feel her knees shaking. “I can’t do it.” She whispered and her eyes were like a deer in headlights. 

Chat put his mic in his back pocket and held her face in his hands. “Look at me. You got this. Don’t look at them.” He gestured to the crowd with one hand. “Look at me and only me. Okay? The only one in this entire club.” He fanned out his hand over them all. “Is me and me alone. Okay? You got this. WE got this. Together.” 

Marinette nodded and took a big breath. “Alright. Let’s do this!” Chat punched the air and flipped his mic in the air and caught it after taking it out of his pocket. 

“Show off.” Marinette joked before she was handed a mic herself. 

He laughed a short laugh and winked at her before belting out a loud note to start the song. 

Marinette was no better than the women in the bar at the sight of him releasing the start of the song. His stance and the way he carried himself. How he leaned back and the deep v at the waistband of his jeans peeked from underneath his tight shirt. She was a goner like the rest of them. Of course, maybe it was due to the fact that she had been ravished by him moments before they took to the stage.

She shook her head and got rid of her bedroom eyes and began to sing her part.


	10. Chapter 10

Ladybug stood in a recording studio hours later. It was dark outside and she was exhausted. She could tell he was too, but he seemed better at hiding it. 

“So… why did you dress up as Ladybug?” Chat stood beside the black grand piano and looked at her. 

Ladybug blushed and looked off to the side. “I get stage fright. I couldn't sing… so… Alya got this idea for me to dress up in one of my old Halloween costumes…” 

Chat laughed and then abruptly stopped when he noticed her horrified face. “It's just. I thought I recognized it from somewhere. Alix’s Halloween party a few years back, right?” 

Marinette shied away from him. “Like your costume was better.” She mumbled under her breath.

“Hey being a cinnamon roll is a perfectly good costume.” Chat defended himself. 

“Sure it is. If-” Marinette smirked at him before she was interrupted. 

“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I HAD TO BEND BACKWARDS FOR YOU!” Nathalie rushed into the room and Ladybug watched his shoulders fall and him retreat into himself. 

“Sorry.” Chat’s voice went quiet. 

“IT BETTER NOT HAPPEN AGAIN! I CAN’T KEEP LYING FOR YOU, Adrien!” Nathalie’s voice began to soften when her eyes fell on the girl. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. She knows.” Chat rubbed the bridge of his nose and soon removed his mask. “This is Ladybug.” 

“Um… Marinette.” She removed her mask and held out her hand to Nathalie. 

“Oh, the girl in your father’s design school.” Nathalie smiled and shook her hand. “Top of his classes at that school, I’ve heard. He has his eyes on you.” She laughed and gave her a warm smile. 

“Please don’t tell Monsieur Agreste.” Marinette begged. 

“Don’t worry. I won’t as long as you sing, as well as, Adrien claims you do.” Nathalie smiled with something darker behind it. “Wow. Top of your classes and a siren. You’re one lucky girl. But of course you are a Ladybug.”

Marinette laughed nervously and dropped their shake. “Yeah… You got it.” 

Adrien couldn’t cut the tension in the room with a metal bo staff if he wanted to. “Anyway, we need to work on this song.” 

“I’ll leave you two to it.” Nathalie smiled and left the room. 

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m really sorry about that.” 

“Nope, it’s fine. It’s only my hope for a future…” Marinette wanted to cry. 

Adrien set the papers down and took her hands in his. He dropped to his knees. “I promise to help you and keep you from losing everything you worked towards. I promise that I won’t let him take your future away. Not like he is doing with mine.” 

“You deserve so much better.” A tear fell down Marinette’s cheek. 

“As do you.” He kissed the backs of her hands and got up off his knees to brush the tear from her soft cheek. “Forget the deal. Forget helping me sabotage it. It seems like we have to actually try. I’ll still help you write songs. I just don’t want you to have to give up your grades and image. I’m already ruined and broken. You’re not.” 

Marinette grabbed his face and kissed his soft lips before looking into his eyes with her forehead on his. “You’re not broken, Adrien. You’re the piece I’ve been missing.” 

He sighed and kissed her harder.

Marinette pulled away grasping his leather jacket and slowly opened her eyes. “We should work on this song.” 

“Right.” He sighed and nodded before pulling away entirely. 

Adrien put his mask on and Marinette followed suit. He walked over and grabbed two metal stools from the other side of the room and brought them over. Ladybug sat on one of the stools and watched him walk over and grab an electric guitar. 

Ladybug adjusted her mask and smiled lovingly at him. 

“Alright, let’s do this.” Chat smirked at her with a derpy love filled smile. 

Ladybug giggled and covered her mouth. 

“What?” Chat smiled at her. 

“You just-look really cute.” Ladybug blushed. 

Chat rested his wrist on the body of the guitar again and looked at her sideways before leaning into her and lightly fluttering a kiss along her soft red lips. “You are too.” 

He started strumming again. “Now, let’s focus. We have a future to save.”

“Right.” Ladybug became determined.


	11. Chapter 11

Marinette sat on her couch eating macarons and looking over the lyrics. She cleared her throat and started to practice the song. 

Her phone went off in the middle of the song and she sighed and answered it. 

“So…?” Alya played with the remote to her television, as she sat on the couch. “Do you feel any better?”

“I do, actually. I think I just needed more water.” Marinette nervously tapped on her guitar. 

“And… nothing else happened? You didn’t run into anyone mysterious? Or... show up somewhere you weren’t supposed to….” Alya raised an eyebrow.”effectively, ditching me for a dark and brooding Rock star?”

“Nino told you?” Marinette sighed and hid her face in her hand. 

“Maybe.” Alya spoke and flicked a piece of fuzz off the couch arm. 

“Look, after Adrien took me home... I ran into Chat- later.” Marinette stumbled over her words. 

“And…” Alya smirked trying to force details from her. 

“And… I may have done some things… I may or may not regret later?” Marinette bit her finger. 

“Girl… I knew it!” Alya laughed. “You have it bad.” 

“Shush!” Marinette put her finger to her lips. 

“So, how was he?” Alya pried further. 

“Ama...zing.” Marinette swooned. 

Alya laughed and looked over at Nino who was making gestures for her to abort the conversation. “I’m really happy for you, Mari. I may question your morals though. Aren’t you dating a certain someone? That being said… what are you gonna tell Adrien?” 

“Um…” Marinette tried to figure out a way around this situation. “I think he’ll understand.” 

“He’ll understand that his girlfriend just went and had sex with some other man?” Alya’s face became serious. 

“Yeah! Ya know… We weren’t really… dating.” Marinette cringed. She didn’t believe this at all. Of course he’d be mad...if he hadn't been the other man as well. 

“I don’t believe you, but okay then…” Alya was skeptical. 

Nino was rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He obviously knew something that she didn’t. 

Alya looked over at Nino then bit her lip. “Mari?” 

“Hm?” Marinette perked up. 

“What’s going on?” Alya gave a questioning look. 

“No-nothing!” Marinette smiled with her eyes shut tight. 

“Nino is over here sweating bullets. So, if you don’t tell me? He will. One way or another. I have my ways.” She winked at her nervous boyfriend. 

He swallowed hard and sulked out of the room dialing a number on his phone. 

“Something tells me… he’s off calling a certain someone to warn them.” Alya smirked with an evil expression. “Fess up, girl.” 

Marinette sighed. “Look, can I come over and talk about this? It’ll all be over soon anyway.” 

“Alright, head over girl.” Alya looked at Nino on the phone. 

“Yeah, man. Come on over.” Nino hung up his phone. 

Alya smiled knowingly. “Someone else might be here too.” 

Nino sighed and shook his head at her when she hung up the phone. “You know this isn’t right, right?” 

“Oh, I think you two owe me.” Alya glared at him. “I worked so hard to get Mari to where she is and now I find out something weird is going on and no one is going to let me in on it?” 

“Just- don’t panic or post it on your blog like you do.” Nino’s shoulders fell. “Seriously. It’d ruin everything.” 

“Fine. No phone.” Alya tossed her phone on a counter far from her reach. 

“Thanks.” Nino sighed, fell onto the couch, and threw his headphones onto his ears.


	12. Chapter 12

Marinette sat on the couch and fidgetted her fingers in her lap. Adrien awkwardly sat next to her flipping through his phone. 

“So, anyone care to let me in on this little secret.” Alya stood in the middle of the family room with her hands on her hips. 

No one said a thing. Nino sat on the chair fidgeting in his seat with his lips tightly pressed together. Marinette couldn’t look at her best friend. 

Adrien finally cleared his throat. “For the record… I didn’t know Nino knew.” 

“Dude! I own half that club!” Nino protested. “I hear the password from your mouth like every night.” 

“Shush, dude!” Adrien had a horrified expression on his face. 

“Alright! Enough! What is this about?” Alya stuck her arms out to make it stop. “What about this club?” She looked at Nino. 

“He never told you about the club?” Marinette finally peered at Alya amazed by this new information. 

“No, I know nothing about a club. I know he does DJing at places, but I had no idea he owned half of a venue.” Alya glared at Nino and then at Adrien. “I’m guessing you own the other half?” 

“Well… sorta.” Adrien cringed and rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Chat Noir owns the other half.” Nino blurted out. 

“Nino…” Adrien hissed at his best friend.

Alya’s eyes grew big and her mouth fell open. She looked between Nino and Adrien. She then ran to grab her phone. Marinette jumped off the couch and grabbed her arm to keep her from getting it. “NO BLOG!” 

“Mari. I’m not blogging. I was going to google something.” Alya hissed offended. 

Marinette slowly let her grip loosen. Alya typed in Chat Noir and clicked images. She held her phone out. “Look at me.” She looked at Adrien, who reluctantly did as she instructed. ”Shit.” The similarities were uncanny. “Why have I never noticed before?” 

“Because the idea of THAT being that was impossible to you.” Marinette gestured from the image of Chat to the plain poised man on the couch. “They’re polar opposites, really.” 

“I find that offensive.” Adrien shook his head from side to side in a way that appeared more Chat-like. 

“Alright, well I see it now when he acts like that.” Alya smiled behind her phone. 

“Can we put the phone down now?” Marinette held out her hand to shield her face. 

“Yeah.” Alya put her phone back on the counter and paced the room. “So… then what happened between you two.” She pointed at Marinette and Adrien. “That’s why Adrien wouldn’t care...” 

“You told her!” Adrien’s eyes grew wide and he looked over at Marinette. 

“Not in detail. Plus, she guessed it. I’m thinking because SOMEONE spilt the info in the first place!” Marinette glared at Nino.

He put his hands in the air. “Don’t look at me. She figured it out alone. All I said was that Ladybug was at the club with Chat.” 

“That’s enough to go off of, Nino…” Marinette whined and hid her face. 

“It really is.” Adrien agreed just as awkwardly. 

“So… what’s the new plan?” Alya sat on another chair across from them. 

“My father’s personal assistant found out who Ladybug is and threatened if she didn’t sing as well as I claimed… she’d lose all her credit at school.” Adrien sighed and leaned back on the couch. “Basically, she can kiss her fashion career goodbye.” He waved his hand. “Also my father may have had a few choice words…” 

“But she wants to write music for bands anyway.” Alya shrugged. 

“Well, that part of the deal still stands. I get her in to write songs if…” Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Oh! Here’s where the Chat side comes out. Just wait for it.” Marinette laughed and stuck her hand out with her other arm crossed across her chest to emphasize. “Go ahead. Tell them.”

“If she dates me.” Adrien groaned. 

“Yeah, not so sweet and perfect are ya?” Marinette laughed. 

“But… Mari has loved you since High School.” Alya pointed out. 

“She loved Adrien.” Adrien sighed. 

“I’m pretty sure a part of her loves Chat too.” Alya laughed and looked at a blushing Marinette. “You can cut the act around me. I saw it a mile away, sweetheart.” 

“Alya…” Marinette held her head in her hands. 

“You love both sides of Adrien, don’t you? I can see it. Hell, the whole world can see it.” Alya bit her lip with a smile and handed her the newspaper with the headline. 

Adrien groaned at the sight of it. 

“When did this happen?” Marinette held the paper out horrified.

“A few days or so ago. I figured you would have seen it. Or that lover boy over there would have shown you it.” Alya shrugged and looked over at Adrien.

Marinette looked over at her boyfriend with tear brimmed eyes.

Adrien sighed and rested an arm on the back of the couch. “Before I met up with you to sing that song… my father burst into my apartment and asked me about that.” He gestured towards the paper. “He told me to stay away from you because you're special and I'd only ruin you.”

“And you felt the need to hide that from me?!” Marinette sniffed and glared at him.

“Yes.” Adrien closed his eyes and sighed. 

Marinette stood up and wanted to run. She wanted to be anywhere but there. 

“Mari?” Adrien stood up and reached out to her. 

She balled her hands into fists at her sides and turned to face him. “Don't Mari me! You should have told me! I had a right to know!” She poked him in the chest before poking her own. 

“I know. I know.” Adrien held his hands up in defeat. “I didn't want to involve you in my father's affairs.”

“It's too late!” She grabbed him by the front of his shirt before dropping it and turning away, crossing her arms. “It's too late.”

“OKAY! EVERYONE COOL IT!” Alya held out her arms.”MARI!” 

Marinette looked at her horrified.

“Sit.” Alya seethed and directed her back to the couch with her finger. “You too, Agreste!” 

Adrien's face was in shock. They both sat back on the couch.

“Now… Mari. I know for a fact that you have loved Adrien for a long… time. Longer than I've been with Nino. I also know that you have fallen for Chat. They're the same damn man. Correct?”

“Yes…” She wrung her hands on the hem of her shirt. 

“Thought so.” Alya smiled and sat back.” So, who cares if his father is a power hungry psychopath. And who cares that Adrien is a narcissistic rock star.”

“Hey!” Adrien pouted at her, while Marinette giggled behind her hand.

“You love each other.No one can break that.” Alya smiled warmly at them. 

“From the sounds coming from Chat’s office…” Nino started to speak with a laugh and looked over to see Adrien with a death glare.

“I swear to God, Nino…” Adrien threatened his best friend shaking his finger.

“And.. there’s the Chat I’ve seen.” Alya smirked and crossed her arms. 

“No! This is the real Adrien!” Adrien turned his glare to her. “We’re the same DAMN person!” 

“I believe I just said that.” Alya held her hands up in front of her. 

“The Adrien at school is the one that has to put up a front. I have to be a brand, a name, and a commodity. Chat is when I get to be myself. I get to be over the top. I get to be free. However, recently I got caught, okay? I need out. So, I made this elaborate plan with my manager to sabotage myself. To start over as a new name to get away from my father again.” Adrien crossed his arms and had a serious expression on his face. “It was working well until Nathalie threatened Mari. Plans changed.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “It’s not just about me anymore. It’s about her now too.” 

“It should have always been equal.” Alya pointed out. 

Adrien nodded. “That’s true.” 

“Anyway… I wanna see this famous club you two run.” Alya looked between Nino and Adrien. 

“You can’t go dressed like that.” Nino and Adrien spoke in unison.

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” Alya pulled on her brown plaid button down top. 

Nino and Adrien rolled their eyes. “It’s not that kind of club, sweetheart.” Adrien cocked his head and mocked her from earlier with how she spoke to Marinette. 

“I think I like the Chat on a leash better.” Alya used her pointer finger to solidify her comment with her arm crossed across her chest. 

“Seriously…” Adrien whined in disbelief. 

“Just saying. He was nicer.” Alya looked at him and shrugged. 

“Oye.” Adrien rolled his eyes. 

“Look I’ll help her get into costume.” Marinette stood up and pushed Alya’s back to lead her to her room. 

“But I wasn’t done…” Alya held up a pointer finger in protest. 

“And.. when we’re done you’ll have plenty of time.” Marinette looked back at the guys and gave a sheepish smile. 

“Welp, I should go change clothes.” Adrien slapped his thighs and pushed off them to get up. 

“I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know she’d put it all together.” Nino apologized to his best friend.

Adrien shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. “It’s Alya, man. She was bound to figure it out. Besides. I won’t be Chat Noir forever.” 

Nino sighed and smiled at his best friend with a nod. “I’ll get ready.” 

Adrien nodded and walked out the door. “Meet you there.” 

Nino nodded back and watched his friend leave.


	13. Chapter 13

Marinette flung clothes out of Alya’s closet. “Don’t you have anything dark?” 

“I do have one thing. It’s a Halloween costume.” Alya shrugged and sat on the edge of her bed. 

Marinette realised what it was in an instant. “Lady Wifi?” 

“Lady Wifi.” Alya nodded with a smile. 

“Perfect. Put it on.” Marinette grinned from ear to ear. 

Alya grabbed the black tank top with a white wifi symbol and torn purple jeans and black combat boots. She grabbed neon purple eyeshadow and brushed it along each eyelid and put on winged eyeliner. Alya turned to Marinette and she gave her a thumbs up. 

“Perfect.” Marinette smiled before heading to her door. “I need to go home and change. I’ll meet you at the subway and we’ll go together.” 

“Sounds good, girl.” Alya smiled and fixed her hair in the mirror. 

Marinette ran back to her apartment and threw on the red t-shirt dress she had made, torn tights, and black ankle boots. She brushed charcoal colors across her lids and did a dramatic winged eyeliner before slowly placing her red mask over her bright blue eyes. 

M- Ready.

She texted Alya and headed out of her apartment to the subway to meet her. 

“Ready?” Marinette smiled at her best friend. 

“More than ready. I feel like I’ve been missing out on all the fun.” Alya jumped with excitement. 

“If you wanna call this fun.” Marinette scoffed. “I call it a nightmare to be honest. It’s like my own personal hell.” 

Marinette and Alya looked up to see someone free running across buildings and walls. “Is that Chat?” Alya’s mouth fell open. 

“What the?” Marinette was just as stunned. 

“I had no idea he could do… THAT.” Alya was amazed. 

“Me either.” Marinette was lost in a trance before she shook her head. “Let’s go.” 

When they reached the door to the club, Chat ran out of an alleyway panting and catching his breath. 

“I didn’t know you free ran…” Marinette looked at him with admiration in her eyes. 

“A little.” He panted and looked up at her through his messy blonde hair. He stood up straight and held his hand out towards where they needed to go. “Shall we?” 

“Let’s go.” Marinette walked forward with Alya trailing behind. 

“Password.” Nino’s voice came through the door. 

Chat cleared his throat and stepped in front of the two girls. “Meow Motherfucker.” 

Alya gasped and clenched her lips together. It surprised her to know who Chat was and that he would speak that way. 

Marinette looked at her and shrugged with a nervous laugh. “I know.” She mouthed at her best friend. 

Alya laughed all of a sudden. 

The stairway opened up to the main floor where the song Me and Mary Jane by Black Stone Cherry blasted from the speakers. Alya made her way through the crowd of dancing bodies. 

“Chat Noir! Hey, Man!” Each person fist bumped and greeted Chat, as he walked through in front of them. 

“Ya singing tonight with your girl?” A random guy fist bumped Chat.

“We’ll see.” Chat clapped the guy on the back. 

“Alright.” The guy smiled and let them through. 

“Drinks are on me! Have fun!” Chat smirked at Alya and Marinette before walking off to talk to more people. 

“So, this is his den?!” Alya looked around the place with a smirk. 

“I guess so!” Marinette sighed and yelled into her friend’s ear over the loud music. 

“Interesting.” Alya put a finger to her lower lip. 

“Let’s get drinks and sit at his booth!” Marinette drug her to the bar and they took their drinks to the V.I.P lounge area. 

It wasn’t as loud in that area and Alya sat on the booth across from Marinette. “I knew Nino worked at a place, but I didn’t know it was like this or that he owned half.” She took a sip of her drink. 

“Yeah. I just found all this out.” Marinette swirled her hand in the air to express the whole place in its entirety. 

“And you let him have you here?” Alya gave her a smug look playing with the rim of her glass. 

Marinette about spit out her drink. “It started here. Ended somewhere over there?” She gestured across the room.

“Ladybug…” Alya giggled and brought her drink to her lips. 

“Lady Wifi...What? You told me to live a little.” Marinette gave her a look. 

“I didn’t necessarily mean that.” Alya laughed and took a drink. 

“Well, it happened.” Marinette sank into the seat. 

“I see you remembered where my table is.” Chat sat in the seat next to Marinette and put his arm around her shoulders before kissing her on the neck. 

“Chat.” Marinette tried to pull away.

He brought his lips to her ear. “What, m’Lady doesn’t want to play with her Kitty?” 

Marinette’s cheeks turned red and felt hot. 

“I’m… gonna go find Nino.” Alya grabbed her drink and got up from the table. “Have fun you two!” She gestured to them both with her drink. 

Chat waved good-bye with a smile before Marinette shoved his chest to push him away. “Down... Kitty.” 

He leaned into her again. “That’s not what I heard last time I did this.” 

Marinette giggled as he started tickling her sides. “Stop!” She laughed harder. 

“We have work to do tonight.” Chat held her close. 

Marinette sighed and held onto his arm with her hands and leaned back into his chest. He smelt of leather and something dark and spicy. 

“What smell is that?” Marinette looked up at him. 

“My cologne?” Chat looked at her confused.

“I guess?” Marinette gave him a confused look.

“Which one? I wear two.” Chat laughed with a smirk. 

“The one right now.” Marinette rolled her eyes. 

“Right. It’s called, Une Nuit de Lune.” Chat shrugged his shoulders. “Do you like it?”

Marinette breathed him in. “It's intoxicating.” 

Chat chuckled deep in his chest and squeezed her tighter. “Good.” He brought her parted lips to his and she drank him in.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: 
> 
> Prisoner by The Pretty Reckless

Chat’s phone rang while they were in the studio and he answered it. “Hey, Kid. What happened to our plan?” Plagg spoke irritatedly into the phone. 

“My father’s assistant ruined it.” Chat sighed and leaned against a wall. “Now, we have to prove that Ladybug is as good as I said she was. Which she is.” 

“So… you’re still gonna be stuck as his golden boy?” Plagg raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes. Unless you have a different plan.” Chat rubbed his eyes in defeat. 

“Well, I may know someone that can help. I’ll call her up. See you in a few, kid.” Plagg hung up the phone and Chat walked back over to Ladybug. 

“My manager is bringing someone here to discuss more options.” Chat rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Ladybug. 

“Your manager?” Ladybug looked at him with a hand on her hip. 

“Yep.” Chat sat on a stool and sulked. “He says he knows of someone that can help us.” 

“I thought we’d just try. Plain and simple.” Ladybug looked at him with an exhausted expression. 

Chat pointed a finger towards his chest. “I still need out.” 

“Right.” Ladybug nodded and looked down. “I see.” She slapped her thighs with her palms and stood up. “Alright! Then let’s figure it out.”

Chat and Ladybug began to go through the duet for a bit until Plagg and his mystery helper showed up. Chat found himself rubbing the back of his neck a lot and his stomach turned. 

“Hey, Kid.” Plagg pushed open the doors to the recording studio. 

He wore a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and tight torn black jeans and black combat boots. His hair was short on the sides and long on top. It was loosely slicked back. 

“Did you bring your secret weapon?” Chat set the guitar down. 

“Hi, I’m Plagg.” He waltzed up to Ladybug and got on one knee, taking her hand before kissing it. 

Ladybug giggled and smiled. “I’m Ladybug.” 

“And I’m Chat.” Chat rolled his eyes with his arms crossed across his chest. “Can we get on with it please?” 

“Is he always this pushy?” Ladybug giggled behind her hand with her eyes closed. 

“Pretty much.” Plagg joked. 

He waved at the door for his friend to come in. A woman with short deep red hair, cut into a bob, in a bright red A-line mini dress and black boots walked into the studio. 

“Hello. I’m Tikki.” The woman smiled at them all. “I think I may have a solution to your problem.” 

Chat sat back down on the stool and waited. “I’m listening.” 

“I heard that your little plan with Plagg fell through. That now Ladybug has to give it what she’s got. I want you to go ahead and keep doing that.” Tikki smiled wholeheartedly. “Chat!” 

“What?” He shifted on his seat and looked at her. 

“The way for you to get out of this whole problem is to pretend to get hurt. Break an ankle. Fall on stage. Look, your father is terrified of you getting hurt, right?” Tikki pointed at him. 

“Yeah?...” Chat looked at her sideways. 

“So, fake an injury! That’ll be enough to make him try and stop you.” Tikki smiled with her hands on her hips. “Now! I wanna hear my girl sing.” She winked and stood next to Plagg. 

Chat looked at a nervous Ladybug. 

“I can’t sing in front of people…” Ladybug stuttered. 

Chat swung off his stool and held her face in his hands and brushed his lips against hers. “Remember what I told you? Think of it being only me in the room.” 

She smiled and rested her forehead on his with a nod. 

Chat smiled. “Now, sing, anything bugaboo.” 

I’m a Prisoner…  
Won’t you set me free…  
I’m a Prisoner…  
Won’t you set me free…

You can have my body…  
But you can’t have me.  
I know I’m a criminal!  
Don’t you tell on.. Me…

I know I’m a criminal!  
Don’t you tell on me…  
You can cross your fingers….  
But you can’t cross me.

Ladybug body rolled and hit her hand on her hip to make the beat for the song. 

Chat’s eyes lit up at the sight of her getting lost in the song. 

“You got some talent, girl! I get why Chat picked you.” Tikki punched the air in enthusiasm. 

“Damn…kid.” Plagg was at a loss for words. “And you were gonna make that sing terribly?”

Chat smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck unable to look in Plagg’s eyes. “I-uh…” 

“Pick your chin off the floor.” Tikki touched under Chat’s chin. “So, does this plan work? Ladybug sings her heart out and you-” She pointed at Chat. “Break a leg. Literally.” 

“Fine. If it’s the only way.” Chat sighed. 

“Oh it is.” Plagg agreed. “Now get to work. You have a debut of this song coming up.” 

“Shit.” Chat cursed under his breath.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song:
> 
> I Will Follow You- written by me

Ladybug stood on the stage nervous while they did sound checks and lighting checks. 

Chat walked up behind her and rested his hand on her shoulders. “You okay?” 

“I’m scared. What if I mess up? What if I freeze? What if I get sick? What if-” Ladybug turned to Chat with horror in her eyes and she wrung her hands around the mic. 

“Ladybug.” Chat looked her in the eyes. “We’ve gone through this song so many times. You’re great. No, Amazing! You’ll do great. Just forget about the crowd. Don’t take your eyes off of me.” He smiled a sweet smile and kissed her on the forehead. “I got you, m’Lady. Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.” 

People began to file into the stadium and Chat stood off to the side of the stage shrugging on his leather jacket. A makeup artist circled around him doing his makeup. Ladybug was being fussed over just as much. She wore skin tight vinyl leggings and a flowy red tank top. Her hair was messy like she had just woken up after a long night. Her makeup was dark beneath her red mask. 

“You ready?” Chat smirked at her and bit his tongue. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She wrung her hands around her mic again. 

“I love you.” Chat lifted his black mask and all Ladybug could see was Adrien. 

She smiled warmly and grabbed his face to pull him in for a kiss. He kissed her and ran his tongue along her bottom lip and she deepened the kiss. 

“Three minutes, kid!” Plagg yelled at them. 

Chat broke away from her. “I love you too.” Ladybug smiled and quickly kissed him on the lips one more time before he walked out on stage. 

“Hello to all my fans!” Chat held the mic in the air. “As, you know I have a special song tonight! I took months writing this duet! I found the perfect voice for it and here she is… Ladybug!” He looked over at her and she smiled nervously. 

Chat held out one hand and made a come hither motion to her. She rubbed her arm and walked out onto the stage towards him. 

He wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered into her ear. “It’s only us, Bugaboo. No one else.” 

All of her nerves disappeared and she smiled into his emerald eyes. 

Chat grabbed a guitar and strapped it around his shoulders before walking up and putting the mic in the stand. “This song is called, I Will Follow You.” 

He began to strum the guitar and nodded to Ladybug to start. She walked up to a mic and they melted their voices together. 

I would follow you...  
to the darkest depths.  
No matter what lies there...  
We'll fight it till the end…. 

Chat closed his eyes and Ladybug didn’t break eye contact with him. She was determined to only see Chat and no one else in that stadium. He began to sing his part and she was mesmerized. 

 

So, take my hand.  
Don't be scared.  
Because I'll be your shield.  
If you'll be my weapon... 

 

He opened his eyes back up and looked into her ocean colored ones with a smile. Their voices intertwined again. 

I would follow you...  
to the darkest depths.  
No matter what lies there...  
We'll fight it till the end….

Chat nodded to Ladybug to take over and she swallowed hard. Everything was riding on this moment. She opened her mouth and began to sing. 

So, I’ll follow your shadow...  
I'll protect you with my life.  
We'll go down together  
with our ha..nds... tied….

He gave her the most loving smile and kept strumming the guitar. 

“Amazing.” He mouthed really quickly before they had to sing together for the last time. 

I would follow you...  
to the darkest depths.  
No matter what lies there...  
We'll fight it till the end…...

Chat strummed the song to an end and the crowd erupted in loud chanting and screaming. 

Chat started up the next song and Ladybug walked off stage to watch him do his part. He began to sing and walk around with a mic before tripping on an amp and falling onto his face. He leaned on one arm and rubbed the side of his head before a light came crashing down on his right leg. Chat let out a scream of agony and Ladybug’s hands went to her mouth. She ran out to the stage with Plagg and they lifted the heavy stage light off his leg and he grabbed it in pain. 

“You weren’t supposed to really break a leg, Chat.” Ladybug looked his leg over. 

“You don’t think I know that…” Chat hissed in pain with one eye open. 

His shin was bleeding and it had begun to seep through his jeans. 

“Can you get up?” Ladybug looked at him. 

“I think so.” Chat tried to stand up, but found it hard to just use one leg. 

“Here.” Ladybug wrapped her arm underneath his arm and helped him up off the ground. “We gotta take you to the hospital.” 

“No, not as Chat.” He sighed and limped off stage using her as support. 

“Alright, let’s go transform then.” Ladybug helped him to his dressing room. 

“Due to an emergency situation, we will be ending the show early. Sorry, we will make it up to you once we sort this all out.” Plagg grabbed the mic and spoke on stage on Chat’s behalf. 

Ladybug ripped off her red mask and helped him sit on the couch in his dressing room. Chat cringed and took his mask off. Sweat clung to his forehead. 

Plagg ran in in the middle of Adrien taking off his leather jacket. “You weren’t supposed to really break your leg, kid.” 

Adrien rolled his eyes and glared at him. 

“I kind of already made that joke.” Marinette sighed and shrugged awkwardly. 

“I see.” Plagg looked his leg over. “You’re gonna need medical attention. I’ll call an ambulance.” 

“No! I don’t want an ambulance here.” Chat hissed and pointed at his white button down shirt hanging on the chair in front of the vanity. 

Marinette grabbed it and handed it to him. He slid it on and rolled the sleeves to his elbows before fixing his hair to be swept perfectly to the side. 

“Seriously?” Marinette was amazed with how easily he could transform into perfect Adrien again. 

He sheepishly smiled at her before trying to maneuver himself to slide off his black torn jeans. 

“What are you doing?” Marinette looked at him with a disturbed expression. 

“I need to put on my normal jeans.” Adrien looked at her with his pants undone. 

“You do realise you’re bleeding and have a broken leg…” Marinette pointed his leg out.

“I am purrfectly aware, m’Lady. But Chat can’t go to the hospital.” Adrien spoke. 

“You also do realise it’d be weird for Adrien to show up needing medical attention and not Chat Noir?” Marinette’s face became unamused. 

“Oh shit. You’re right.” Adrien shrugged his white button down back off, redid his pants, and put his black mask back on. “Let’s go.” 

Marinette rolled her eyes and stuffed Adrien’s clothes into her bag before they helped him out of the stadium and into the waiting car. 

“You’re father is on the phone.” Nathalie looked back at them from the front passenger seat. 

“Put him through…” Chat leaned on his hand with his arm on the window of the car. 

“Adrien Agreste!” Gabriel spoke sternly on the screen in front of him. 

“Yes, father?” Chat looked over at the screen nonchalantly. 

“Is this a joke?” Gabriel growled at him. 

“No father. A light fell and shattered my leg.” Chat cringed at the pain again. 

“Take off that mask when you speak with me.” Gabriel scolded him. 

Chat groaned and took his mask off. “Happy now?” 

“No! You could have died! You’re never going to play music again! You hear me?!” Gabriel yelled into the camera.

“I understand.” Chat sighed and looked out the window. 

“Good! That girl is no longer needed. Your driver can drop her off, as soon as you get to the hospital safely.” Gabriel ended the call and the screen went black. 

“Can’t I go and make sure Adrien is okay?” Marinette begged Nathalie. 

“I can’t let you do that when Gabriel is there.” Nathalie looked at them. “But I can’t stop you from anything you choose to do when Gabriel is not there.” 

Marinette went from sulking to smiling. “Thank you, Nathalie!” 

“I don’t know what you’re thanking me for.” Nathalie turned back around to face the front and smiled.


	16. Chapter 16

Adrien sat in the waiting room in a wheelchair.

“Adrien?!” They called him back into an examining room to get vitals. 

He looked back at Marinette before looking at the nurse. “Can she come?” 

“You know she has to head back home.” Nathalie looked over at a worried Marinette. She sat twiddling her thumbs looking at her lap, sitting in a chair. 

Adrien sighed and looked down at his lap. 

Nathalie walked beside him, as they wheeled him back.

They took his vitals and he was sent to another room to get x-rays done.

Adrien sat in a bed and waited for the doctor to come in and tell him the news on his leg. Nathalie sat in a chair and flipped through her phone, probably talking to his father for all he knew. 

“I’m guessing from that call that my father isn’t coming?” Adrien looked at her with sad yet irritated eyes. 

“He’s too busy with deadlines right now. He gives his apologies and says he hopes you’re okay. He also wants to be kept posted on your diagnoses.” Nathalie had a serious expression on her face, while looking over a text. “He’ll see you later.” 

“Of course.” Adrien sighed. 

There was a knock at the door and the doctor came in with a chart. “I have good and bad news.” 

Adrien perked up and tried to look okay and act like his perfect self. 

“Good news is is that it’ll heal. Bad news is… is that the tibia is shattered.” He sighed and threw the x-ray photo up on a light board. He used his pen to point out the break. “We’re gonna have to do an internal fixation to mend it.” 

Adrien’s eyes grew wide and his gaze darted around the room. 

“How does that work?” Nathalie asked him. 

“We would put him under and piece his bones back together, using various screws and maybe a plate or two.” The doctor shrugged and clutched his clipboard to his chest. “I do it a lot more than you are probably thinking.” 

“Sounds good.” Nathalie nodded.”Oh, will there be any scarring?” 

Adrien was too lost in his thoughts to roll his eyes at her comment. 

“Scarring is inevitable. I’ll be right back then. Just relax.” The doctor spoke and left the room. 

“Nathalie…” Adrien looked at her like a scared deer. 

She peered over at him and her expression became worried. 

“I can’t do this.” His breathing became labored. “I can’t. Please… don’t.” His voice hitched slightly. 

“You’re going to be fine.” Nathalie tried to reassure him with soulless eyes. 

“Please.” Adrien begged and looked up at her. 

Nathalie sighed and shook her head. “You have to do this. Do you want to keep modeling and working or not?” 

Adrien looked around the room in a panic. Could he make it out the window? Did it even open? 

“You can’t run.” Nathalie sighed again. 

His eyes darted to hers and he bit his lip. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Adrien.” Nathalie tried a smile, but it didn’t suit her and it didn’t put him at ease. “They’ll put you under and when you wake up… you will feel better.” 

“I want Mari.” Adrien whined under his breath and let a tear fall in fear. 

Nathalie bit her lip and contemplated something. 

The doctor came in with a nurse and an I.V. set up. “Once we get the medicine in, he should be more relaxed.” He looked over at a panicking Adrien. 

Adrien looked at Nathalie with hope in his eyes. “Please, Nathalie? Just give me this one thing.” 

Nathalie sighed and gave a quick nod before turning back to the doctor. “Can we get the girl in here, please? Before you wheel him away?” 

Marinette grabbed her bag and went to leave out to the car. 

“Marinette?!” A nurse called out into the waiting room. “Marinette Dupain Cheng?”

Marinette turned from the front automated doors and looked with tear brimmed eyes.

“He wants to see you.” The nurse smiled a warm smile and Marinette about dropped her bag, as she ran back towards the nurse. 

“How is he?” Marinette’s eyes looked to her in worry. 

“He’s okay. They are about to wheel him off to surgery.” The nurse calmly explained.

Marinette bit her nail and followed her to where he was.

“Mari!” Adrien sat up as soon as she walked in the door behind the nurse. 

Marinette ran to the side of his bed and rubbed her nose against his in a loving manner. “You okay?” 

“We should be ready for you in a bit.” The doctor looked over at them and then back at the drip. 

Adrien leaned back and looked at Marinette with love filled eyes as the nurse walked up and hooked an I.V. to his arm and began to add the pain killer to the drip. 

“He’ll be just fine...” The nurse looked at Marinette. “The surgery should be relatively quick.” 

Marinette nodded and picked up his hand in hers.“Look at me.” Marinette whispered and stared into his green eyes. She could see the fear behind them. “When they wheel you back there, think of me. Think about how I’m always with you. About how when you’re all done? I’ll be waiting for you. ” 

Nathalie had backed up and watched from the corner of the room. 

Adrien instantly relaxed and hummed a nod. Marinette smiled down at her kitty. Her heart filled with warmth and something heavy. 

Nathalie was shocked with how much he had relaxed, but maybe it was the medicine. 

“Alright, we’re ready for you.” The doctor looked at him and held his clipboard. “Are you ready, Adrien?” 

Adrien nodded and let Marinette’s hand slowly slip from his, as they wheeled him away. 

Marinette let her shoulders sink, as he was wheeled from the room and gone. She let her body fall to the cold tile flooring and held her face in her hands. She let the sobs rack through her. Everything was too much. The threat of losing everything she worked for. Dressing up as a alter ego… Finding out that CHAT was Adrien. Him shattering his shin… Everything overwhelmed her and took over. 

Nathalie stood and watched Marinette from where she stood. Her heart sank for the girl on the floor in pieces. 

She could only think of one thing to say and she knew it wouldn’t help, but at least she’d try. “He’ll be okay.” 

Marinette looked up at her in surprise with red swollen eyes. “Thank you, Nathalie.” 

“You should go home and get some rest. I’ll have him call you when he’s out.” Nathalie looked at her with concern. 

Marinette nodded and got up before heading out to the car.


	17. Chapter 17

Adrien gripped the side rails of the bed, as they wheeled him through the hallway. His leg throbbed and his head spun. His heart raced and he felt like he was going to black out from his anxiety. 

“You’ll be okay.” The nurse patted his arm, as she pushed him down the hallways. 

Adrien closed his eyes and tried to think of Marinette. Her ocean blue eyes came into view and he relaxed at the sight of them. They were so serene and blue and he got lost in them. 

They wheeled him in and moved him to the operating table. “It’ll only be a moment.” The doctor patted his arm before disappearing. 

An anesthesiologist came over and put a breathing mask on his face. “Alright, Adrien. Can you close your eyes and count backwards from ten for me?”

Adrien closed his eyes and got lost in the memory of spending hours in a recording studio with a girl in red. 

________________________________________________________

Nathalie’s phone chimed and she peered down at it to see Gabriel pop up on the screen. 

Gabriel- How’s my son?

Nathalie wanted to say, ‘You would know if you were here!’, but she held back. 

Nathalie- He’s gonna be fine. They took him back to surgery to put the bones back in place.

Her phone pinged quickly. 

Gabriel- Will he have scarring?

Nathalie smiled at his question. 

Nathalie- He told me it was inevitable.

Gabriel texted her back quickly.

Gabriel- Nothing a little makeup can’t fix. My son is reckless. I hate to admit it, but he’s a lot like his mother.

Nathalie sighed. She hated when he would spiral into these little moments. 

Nathalie- Yes, sir. He is. He really is going to be okay. You can’t keep him under your wing forever, Mr. Agreste. 

She cringed at what she had sent, but he needed to hear it. 

Gabriel- I suppose you’re right. Tell Marinette to come speak to me. I’d like to personally get to know this girl and why my son has taken such a liking to her. 

Nathalie let a slight smile touch her lips. 

Nathalie- Yes, sir.

Within moments of sending the reply, Adrien was wheeled back into the room. He looked peaceful and was sound asleep still from the surgery.

“He should wake up soon.” The nurse smiled at Nathalie. “Are you his mother?” 

“Uh. No. I’m just a guardian.” Nathalie tried to give her a smile. 

“I see. Well, the painkiller should still numb most of the pain in his leg. If he ends up in severe pain, have him hit the nurse call button.” She smiled before leaving. 

Nathalie sighed and plopped into the chair in the room. She hadn’t signed up to babysit a grown man. At least, not this one. 

“Nathalie?” Adrien sighed and blinked at the bright lights of the room. 

“Yes?” Nathalie walked over to his side. 

“Where’s Mari?” He began to look around frantically. 

“She went home. I told her I would call her when you woke up.” Nathalie spoke and touched his arm softly. 

“Hand me my phone, please.” Adrien held out his hand for his phone in a panic. 

“You need to rest. Relax.” Nathalie pushed him to lay back on the bed. 

“I need to call my girlfriend.” Adrien looked at her with a stubborn expression, yet something was off. 

“I’ll just text her that you’re awake.” Nathalie spoke and began to type out a text to Marinette. 

Nathlie- Adrien is out of surgery and awake.  
_________________________________________________________

Marinette received the text and ran to the door of her apartment. She quickly threw on her shoes and ran out the door.   
________________________________________________________

Marinette ran into his room and flung the door open. Adrien turned to look over at her and fell to pieces. 

Marinette held his head in her hands and pressed her cheek to his. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” 

“Stay with me.” Adrien finally found his voice and panted. 

“Okay.” Marinette kissed him on the lips. “Just try to relax.” She ran her fingers through his hair and he sighed contently and fell asleep. 

“How do you do that?” Nathalie looked at her in shock. 

“I don’t know.” Marinette shrugged. 

“I could never get him to relax. I still can’t.” Nathalie looked at him sleeping peacefully.

“It’s never too late to try.” Marinette smiled at her warmly. 

“Before I forget Mr. Agreste wants to speak with you.” Nathalie shook Adrien from her thoughts. 

“About?” Marinette’s heart sped up with worry. 

“He wants to meet you. He’s curious about you.” Nathalie shrugged. “What days do you have free?”

“This weekend?” Marinette tapped her chin in thought. “I think.” 

“I’ll pencil you into his schedule.” Nathalie smiled. “Well, I’m gonna head out. I have a feeling he is in good hands.” 

Marinette blushed and watched her leave. 

She sat beside him and ran her hands through his soft hair with a smile before pressing her lips gently to his forehead. 

She slowly found herself falling asleep beside him with her head resting on her arms. 

She felt him jolt awake and whine in pain. She woke up startled and grabbed his arm. “What wrong?” 

“It hurts! Everything hurts!” Adrien hissed at the throbbing heat in his leg. 

Marinette pushed the nurse call button and grabbed his hand. She began to rub the back of his hand and waited for the nurse to appear. It didn’t take her long. 

“Painkillers wear off?” The nurse smiled and looked at a sweating Adrien, writhing in pain. 

“Make it stop. Please.” Adrien begged with pain filled eyes. 

“It’ll only be a moment.” The nurse walked over, grabbed a pink tub, handed it to Marinette, before walking to the door. “You might need that.” 

Adrien groaned and began to gag at the pain. It was all too much. Everything was too much. He felt his stomach turn and his hand went to his mouth. Marinette flung the tub in front of him, just in time and looked away. 

“I’m sorry.” Adrien wiped his mouth and winced at the pain before his stomach emptied again. It wasn’t much considering he hadn’t eaten anything for a while. 

“It’s okay, Minou.” Marinette peered over at him. 

“Alright, let’s make it stop, hm?” The nurse stuck a syringe into the I.V drip and instantly it began to work. 

Adrien gasped and relaxed back onto the bed and closed his eyes. The nurse took the tub from his lap. 

“How’d you know he’d need that?” Marinette looked at her, curiously. 

“I’ve been doing this a long time. I can count the patients on my right hand that hadn’t needed it. I’ll bring you a blanket.” She smiled and walked out of the room. 

Marinette sat back in the chair and continued to run her fingers through his hair. His furrowed brow relaxed and he sighed. 

His eyes slowly opened and he looked over at her. “You probably think I’m so gross right now.” His voice seemed off. 

“No… I actually was thinking about how cute you looked.” Marinette smiled at him with hooded eyes. 

“Don’t suppose you would want to kiss me?” Adrien smiled at her, sleepily. 

Marinette smiled at him with a short quiet laugh before lightly kissing his cheek. “Get some sleep, Chat.” 

Adrien held open the covers. “Lay with me?” 

Marinette shrugged at him and stood up from the chair before climbing in beside him in the spacious hospital bed. 

He hugged her and breathed in her hair. It smelt of strawberries.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: 
> 
> Weaker Girl by Banks

Adrien spent two days in the hospital before they let him go home. Marinette never left his side. The closer it got to the weekend, the more she stressed out. 

Adrien’s father was always on her mind and it was stressing her out. She sat in his car in silence with her pink overnight bag on her lap. 

_________________________________________________________________

Marinette walked through his apartment.Her hand shook as she knocked on his bedroom door. 

Adrien held the covers up to his nose and peered over at the door. “Yeah?!?” He called from the bed, weakly. 

Marinette slowly opened the door and peeked from behind it. She awkwardly waved while poking her head into the room. “Can I come in?” 

“Of course.” Adrien cleared his throat. He shifted his body with his arms. 

“You don’t have to sit up.” Marinette waved her hands in front of her face. 

“Alright.” Adrien laid back into his original position. “I think there’s a chair… somewhere.” He rubbed his head, groggily. “Sorry, I took the pain killers they gave me. I can’t think straight.” He laughed, rubbed the back of his neck, and looked away with a blush. 

“How long have you lived here?” Marinette gave him a challenging look, smiled, and closed the door behind her with a giggle. She looked around for the chair, he had spoke of, and found it within moments. She pulled the black leather chair up beside his bed and sat down. “How are you feeling?” 

Adrien looked up at her with a silly smile. “Better now that you’re here, Princess.” 

Marinette giggled and grabbed his hand from under the covers. “I came here with you. I think you’ve had too many pills.” 

Adrien grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him. His nose touched hers and he lowered his eye lids with a smirk. “I don’t need them when I have you here.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “You’re the only pills I need.” 

“Alright… You need sleep, Minou.” Marinette giggled and backed up a bit with a hand to her mouth. 

“Minou?” Adrien smiled a dreamy expression. “I like it.” 

Marinette giggled again. She couldn’t help but notice how cute he looked. 

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Marinette smiled at him once she stopped giggling. 

“Me too.” He hummed with a smile and closed his eyes. 

“I’ll let you rest then.” Marinette went to get up from the chair when his hand shot out and he yanked her back. 

“Wait!” Adrien was more awake all of a sudden, sitting up on the bed. 

“Yes?” Marinette turned her head to look at him. 

Adrien pulled her into a spin and she tripped and fell on his bed. Her body lay across his hips. 

She jumped up and stood next to the bed. 

“Did I hurt you? Are you okay? Where does it hurt? What did I do?” Marinette spoke a mile a minute in a panic. “I-” 

Adrien grabbed her hand again and pulled her to him. He swiftly captured her lips with his. His tongue ran along her bottom lip and his hand held her jaw before he grazed her cheek and moved it into her hair. 

She sank into the kiss and before she knew it he was pulling her onto the bed. Adrien intensified the kiss and pulled her closer by the small of her back. 

Marinette straddled his thighs and he yanked her closer so that she was pressed against him. His lips and tongue moved rapidly against hers in a ferver and he let his body rest on the wall behind his platform bed. 

Marinette broke away from the kiss for a minute. “We should stop. You’re not in the right state of mind. Any moment your father could walk in…” 

Adrien smirked at her and yanked her back down to him. “Let him. He’ll just be jealous.” His lips found hers again and she sighed into it. 

“What about Nathalie? Isn’t she coming back sometime?” Marinette stopped the kissing again in a panic. 

“Mari?” Adrien looked at her with a warm expression. 

“Yes?” Marinette looked into his deep green eyes. 

“Shut up and kiss me.” He ran a hand along the bottom of her jaw. 

Marinette’s mouth fell open and her eyes shimmered in the moonlight. She let him pull her into a deep intoxicating kiss again. 

Her hips moved against his and her bedroom eyes slowly opened to look into his eyes. “Come under the covers with me.” Adrien panted with hooded eyes. 

“We shouldn’t.” Marinette panted and rested her forehead against his. 

“You really think someone is going to come in here and disturb us? It’s my apartment, Bugaboo. My rules.” Adrien slowly slid a finger along her jawline to her chin. 

Marinette blushed and swallowed hard. “No… but you’re making it difficult to resist your charms.” 

“Then don’t. I could have died a few days ago. Let me love you.” He cupped her face and pulled her into a kiss. Adrien looked into her eyes. “If you hand me my phone… I’ll put music on, if that will make you feel better.” 

Marinette looked at him and bit her bottom lip. 

Adrien sighed and pulled her lip from her teeth with his thumb. “I love when you do that.” 

Marinette blushed and got up to grab his phone. She brought it over to him and he drunkenly searched for a song. 

“This should work.” Adrien found Weaker Girl by Banks and hit play on it. 

Marinette’s eyes went wide. “You listen to this?” 

Adrien shrugged. “I have eclectic tastes.” 

Marinette smiled at him and watched him recline onto the bed and open his covers to let her in.

She laid on top of him and looked into his forest eyes. “Are you sure about this?” 

Adrien touched her cheek with heavily lidded eyes and a smile. “As sure as a Chat wanting cream.” 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Adrien…” 

He smirked and pulled her into a kiss and slid his hands down her back and grabbed her ass. She moaned and he flicked her top lip with his tongue. Marinette’s heart raced and she breathed him in. 

He smelt different. More sweet and floral. She broke away from the kiss and giggled a little. “You really do smell different as Adrien.” 

Adrien shook his head. “That’s what you’re thinking of right now?” 

“Sorry.” Marinette quietly laughed. “I got distracted.” 

“Sounds like I’m not trying hard enough then, m’Lady.” Adrien yanked her into a kiss and ran his hands beneath her shirt and under her bra, grazing his thumbs along the curve of her breasts. 

Marinette couldn’t think. She was lost in his touch and kiss. Her right hand reached down in front of her and she ran her hand along his toned stomach and underneath the band of his black Gabriel brand boxers till she found him. 

He opened his mouth against her lips and let out a soft moan, as her hand grasped him.

Adrien kissed along her shoulder and she slid her hand up and down in slow movements.

“Let me take care of you, kitty.” She leaned down and whispered into his ear. 

“Oh my God.” Adrien sighed against her skin. 

Marinette smirked and sped up her hand and felt him shiver beneath her.


	19. Chapter 19

Marinette stood in Adrien’s spacious kitchen. She had her hair down and it hung around her shoulders. She cracked an egg and began to mix everything together to make chocolate crepes.

She also had begun to steep some tea for them. 

The sound of metal tapping on tile made her turn around. 

“You’re up.” Marinette used the wooden spoon to talk.

“I was curious as to what smelt so delicious.” Adrien rested on his crutches. 

“Curiosity killed the Chat, you know.” Marinette turned back to the stove. 

“This one’s still got nine lives, m’Lady.” Adrien smirked at her. 

His normally perfectly placed hair was messy from sleep. It hung slightly in his eyes. Something about it was sexy and endearing. 

“The chocolate ganache is almost done. Wanna taste?” Marinette went to dip the spoon into the sweet liquid when he stopped her with his hand.

She peered up at him, confused.

Adrien dipped his finger into the chocolate and spread it onto his thumb with his index finger.

His eyes became heavy and he ran his chocolate covered thumb along her bottom lip. “I’d rather taste it from your lips.” He tipped her chin up and gently kissed her before licking the ganache from her bottom lip. He licked his own lips after with a smile that could have made her fall to her knees. 

“It’s delicious.” Adrien smiled at her dumbfounded expression. “I think I broke my girlfriend.” He laughed and used his crutches to make his way over to a counter across the kitchen. 

Marinette shook her head and put the spoon down to help him. “Pain killers?” 

“Yeah.” He cringed and kept moving. 

“Just go sit, silly kitty. All you had to do was ask. I would have gotten it for you.” Marinette giggled at him and he awkwardly smirked at her. 

He dropped himself onto a bar stool and intently watched her. She opened the pill bottle and dumped one out. She set it on the counter in front of him and went to grab him a glass of water. She set it in front of him and he knocked back the pill before chasing it with the water. 

“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Adrien rested his head in his hands. 

“Nothing for you. You need to rest.” Marinette laughed and flipped a crepe with her back to him. 

“So… movies and lots of cuddles then?” Adrien looked at her from the corner of his eye. 

Marinette laughed. “Okay… I think it’s time to lay down again.” 

“What I can’t spend a lovely day with my girlfriend watching mindless television and loving on her?” Adrien looked at her through his lashes. 

Marinette walked over to him and ran her hands along his shoulders and brought her lips to his ear in a whisper. “I don’t think you’d be able to keep up with her.”

His eyes widened before they became hooded and he turned towards her, on the stool. “I didn’t seem to have a problem keeping up last night, bugaboo.” 

Marinette blushed, jumped back slightly, and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you correctly.” 

“You heard me.” Adrien clicked his tongue and pulled her into him. He rested his hand on the back of her neck and lightly brushed her lips with his. He trailed kisses to her neck and lingered along her collar bone. 

Marinette bit her lip. “You’re gonna make me burn breakfast.” She giggled and pushed him away by his chest and made her way back over to the food she was preparing. “They’re ready.” 

She set a crepe onto a plate and began to fill and fold it for him. She carried it over and set it down in front of him with a fork. “Bon appetit.” 

“Merci.” Adrien smiled up at her and took a bite. “Delicious.” He sighed into the meal and relished in each bite he took. 

Marinette smiled before standing on the other side of the bar table to eat her share. “So, how are you feeling?” 

“Like I was hit by a train, to be honest.” Adrien spoke after swallowing a bite of crepe. 

“To be expected.” Marinette nodded towards him. 

“It’s not as bad today though as the other day.” He examined his leg and the row of stitches that held his leg together. 

“It’ll only get better, Minou.” Marinette took her plate over to the sink and washed it before putting it away. 

Marinette took Adrien’s empty plate and walked back over to him. “So, what movie should we watch then?” 

“I got the perfect one, m’Lady.” Adrien smirked and grabbed his crutches from beside him. 

“Can’t you just let me get it for you.” Marinette rolled her eyes at his tenacity. 

“Mari, love. I have one broken leg. I can handle walking around a bit.” Adrien looked at her sideways with a lack of enthusiasm. 

Marinette laughed at his expression. “Alright, Chat.” 

He made his way over to a floor to ceiling black bookshelf and ran his finger along the titles before pulling one out. “Have you seen this one?” 

Marinette walked over and looked at the blue-ray movie. “Nope. I haven’t actually. I had wanted to see it, but I never had the time to go do that.” 

“Well, today’s your lucky day, Purrincess. You get to watch it at the lovely, AMAZING, Agreste boudoir.” Adrien smirked at her with a wink. 

She rolled her eyes at him. “Down, kitty. I think those pills are kicking in.” 

“They’ve been kicking in.” Adrien spoke under his breath. 

Marinette walked up to him with swaying hips. She ran a hand under his chin and gave him bedroom eyes. “What was that, Minou?” 

“Nothing, m’ Lady.” Adrien leaned into her touch. 

“Uh-huh…” Marinette narrowed her eyes with a smile and turned around to sit on the couch. 

Adrien put the movie in and plopped down onto the couch next to her. She sighed and pulled his broken leg onto a cushion before leaning back against his chest. 

“Comfy, bugaboo?” Adrien smiled down at her. 

Marinette blushed and looked up at him. “Very.” 

“Good.” He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, while he started the film. 

______________________________________________________

Adrien didn’t make it through the film long before he fell asleep. She smiled at his sleeping face and brushed his hair from his eyes. All she could think about was how beautiful he looked. How he had become a very attractive man since high school. How his body had become more toned and muscular. Her eyes fell to the muscle indentations peeking from the deep v of his plain black t-shirt. Her hand hovered over his exposed skin and she slowly ran her index finger along his exposed chest. 

He sighed in his sleep, quickly grabbed her hand with his, and pulled her to roll on top of him. “How long was I out?” 

“A couple hours.” Marinette shrugged at the question. 

Adrien smiled at her and brushed her lips with his. She held his face in her hands and ran her tongue along the opening of his mouth. He smirked and returned the gesture. Marinette straddled his lap and kissed him harder, sighing into it. His hand skimmed down her spine and he grabbed her ass. 

She let out a squeak and then giggled at him. “Adrien!” 

“Yes, my lovebug?” Adrien smiled at her like he was innocent. 

“You’re incorrigible.” Marinette slapped his chest and then grabbed his face again before melting her lips into his. She opened her eyes slowly, letting her blue eyes meet his forest ones. “But I love you, anyway.” 

Adrien’s eyes went wide at her words before he relaxed. “I love you too.” He held her tight and caught her lips in a passionate kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

The weekend came fast and Marinette found herself standing in front of very familiar gates. She bit her lip before pushing the call button. Nathalie showed up in the small monitor in front of Marinette. 

“Hello. I’m here to see Gabriel Agreste.” Marinette awkwardly spoke and looked off to the side. 

“He’s been expecting you. Come in.” The gates opened in front of her and she slowly stepped toward the stairs. Her heart raced in her chest and she swallowed hard. 

Nathalie opened the front door and she walked into the grand foyer to see Gabriel standing at the top of a giant staircase. 

“Hello, Ms. Dupain Cheng.” Gabriel held his hands behind his back with a lack of a smile. 

 

_____________________________________________________________ 

 

Marinette tried her best to smile. “Hello, Mr. Agreste.” 

“Let’s speak in my office.” Gabriel turned to walk towards his office door. 

Marinette walked quickly up the staircase and caught up to him. 

“Please, sit.” Gabriel gestured to a chair across from his desk and she sat down clumsily. 

Marinette sat quietly and fidgeted her fingers in her lap. 

“I look at my son… and see that he has taken a liking to you. And while I find this to be most disheartening… I would like to know more about you outside of design school, of course.” Gabriel held his hands behind his back and turned to face her. “Who is Ms. Dupain Cheng?” 

Marinette swallowed hard and looked up at him. “I-” She felt her throat begin to close up and capture her words in a cage. 

Gabriel looked at her with an expectant expression. He waited for her to find the right words. 

“Sir. I am a designer, a creative mind, a daydreamer, a lover, a free spirit, a caregiver. I am competitive, determined, and strong willed. But most of all…” She swallowed hard and worked up more courage. “I love your son, sir. I have loved him since we were kids. I care for him. I want to care for him until I am no longer a part of this world. If you would let me. Sir.” 

“Hm.” Gabriel paced over to his computer and stood in silence, flipping through something. 

Marinette worried her bottom lip and held her arms close to herself. She wasn’t sure if she said too much. 

“What about this… Ladybug thing?” Gabriel flipped through his computer. 

“My best friend convinced me to do it, sir. I have always had this dream of writing songs for bands. It’s kind of a secret passion of mine.” Marinette smiled awkwardly. 

“I see.” Gabriel walked back over to her. “You’re parents own the best bakery in Paris, yes?” 

“They do.” Marinette smiled and breathed out. “They make the best pastries in all of Paris.” 

Gabriel nodded. “And what does Dupain Cheng’s future entail?” 

Marinette’s eyes sparkled and reminded him of his wife. “I want to design my own clothing line. I also want to write songs for upcoming and famous bands on the side. I want to surround myself with creativity and inspiration. I want to inspire people.” 

Gabriel cracked a smile at her comments. “Well, I think I’ve heard enough.” 

Marinette looked up at him with hope in her eyes. 

“You can continue to see my son, but on one condition.” Gabriel placed a paper in front of her. “You join my design team. And keep my son from any more near death accidents. He may not listen to me, but he will listen to you.” 

Marinette’s mouth fell open. “I-” 

“You don’t need to thank me. Just keep my son safe. I’ve spent years trying to keep him from danger to no avail.” Gabriel sighed with irritation. “I’m impressed by your designs that you submit every week in your classes. I want you on my team, Ms. Dupain Cheng.” 

“I don’t know what to say.” Marinette was shocked by his words. 

“Say nothing. Just sign.” Gabriel slapped a pen down on the paper. 

Marinette hesitated the pen over the signature line. “May I ask of one more thing?” 

“Mm…” Gabriel grunted a response to her with closed eyes. 

“Why me?” Marinette looked at him. “Why let me have your son and be a part of your business?” 

“Because, Ms. Cheng, I have had my eyes on you… a very long time.” Gabriel had a very regal pose to him. “You are best in your classes and show promise. I need fresh eyes and new designs that are cutting edge and you never fail to impress. Plus, I don’t think I’d be able to keep you from Adrien. He seems to be smitten with you.” 

Marinette smiled. She didn’t know whether to hug him or shout her admiration. She picked the latter. 

“Thank you, Mr. Agreste.” Marinette stood up and hugged him. 

His eyes went wide and he wrapped his arms around her. “Please, call me Gabriel.” 

It was Marinette’s time to be shocked. “Thank you, Gabriel.” 

“You’re more than welcome. Now go see my son and make sure he’s not doing something to shame my industry I’ve created.” Gabriel let her go. 

“Yes, Sir.” Marinette smiled and skipped out of the office with glee. 

Gabriel shook his head with a smile. “And It’s Gabriel!” He called after the giddy girl. “What have I done…” He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. 

“I believe you made a girl very happy and gained a new employee, Mr. Agreste.” Nathalie looked up from her tablet. 

_________________________________________________________________

Marinette breathed out and carried a bag of lunch through Adrien’s door. He was sitting on the couch watching something on tv. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was. 

“So… what’d my father say to you?” Adrien looked over his shoulder with an unenthused look. 

“Oh… you know… same old same old…” Marinette smiled with her eyes closed and unpacked the bag on the counter. 

“Mari… seriously. I want to be sure you’re okay.” Adrien started to shift on the couch and reach for his crutches next to him. 

Marinette rolled her eyes and sighed. She walked around the couch, holding a wrapped sandwich, and pushed him back down by his chest. “I’m okay. Really.” She handed him the sandwich with a warm smile. 

He looked at her with a skeptical expression, but took the sandwich anyway.

Marinette grabbed hers, moved his leg a little, and sat beside him. She smiled, as she unwrapped her sandwich. 

“You’re not gonna tell me what he said are you?” Adrien looked at her critically. 

“I will. Just- I’m hungry. Give me a moment.” Marinette took a bite of her sandwich and hummed at the flavor of it. 

Adrien began to unwrap his with a sigh. 

“Alright. I’ll tell you.” Marinette finally set her sandwich down and Adrien followed suit. 

He looked at her with all of the attention in the world. 

“He simply asked who I was. So.. I defined myself, the best I could and then he made me a deal.” Marinette shrugged and picked her sandwich up again to take a bite. 

“Deal?” Adrien didn’t like where this was going. 

“I signed to be part of the Gabriel brand team and… I may have promised something.” Marinette smiled. 

Adrien’s eyes grew big. “My- Father? Asked you to be a part of his group of people?” 

“Yeah. I guess he’s been watching me a while and saw promise. He wanted new edgy designs and he felt I filled the box.” Marinette closed her eyes in happiness. 

“What about you having your own brand? Your own shop?” Adrien looked at her dumbfounded. 

“I think that this is the beginning of something bigger.” Marinette smiled and took another bite. 

“Wait. You said you promised something?” He waved his hands in front of his face. 

Marinette blushed. “I kind of talked about what you meant to me and he agreed we could see each other if…” She bit her lower lip and it took all of Adrien’s control to not pry it from her teeth and kiss her, but that wasn’t important right now. 

“If I kept you from getting hurt.” Marinette giggled. She went back to her food. “Oh, and he told me to call him Gabriel.” 

Adrien’s mouth fell open in shock. “He- told-you- to-” His world was spinning. “There’s no way.” 

“He did.” Marinette laughed. 

“He never lets anyone call him Gabriel. Not since… mother-” Adrien was lost in thought and his face fell. 

“Adrien.” Marinette touched his cheek. “Everything is okay.” She gave him a warm smile and kissed him on the lips. “Now, eat. Please…” 

Adrien picked up his food and began to eat with her.


	21. Chapter 21

Marinette watched him stumble over to the counter to grab his pills again. “You’re really set on doing things yourself aren’t you?” She put her hands on her hips. 

“Been doing it for years, m’Lady. Why stop now?” He mumbled with a pain killer in his mouth before hobbling to get a glass of water. 

“Will you stop.” Marinette giggled and beat him to the fridge. She got him a drink and handed it out to him. 

He peered at her through his blonde hair with a sigh. 

“Humor me. Speaking of which… you should get cleaned up.” Marinette grabbed a glass of water for herself. 

A smirk appeared on his face and he leaned towards her. “Is that an invitation, bugaboo?” 

Marinette rolled her eyes. “What happened to Mr. I’ll Do Everything Myself?” 

“Mmm…” Adrien bit his thumb with a broodingly sexy expression. “I’d be willing to let a certain beautiful girl help me with that task.” 

“Oh my God.” Marinette laughed hysterically. “Get outta here.” She pushed him lightly in the chest and he smiled at her. 

He shrugged. “It was worth a try.” 

Marinette looked at him and sighed. “Come on.” She started to walk towards his master bathroom. 

“Wait. Really?” Adrien was shocked. 

“Yeah. Let’s go Mr. I’ll Do Everything Myself Except Bathe.” Marinette giggled and swayed her hips, as she walked away from him. 

“That’s an awfully long pet name.” Adrien laughed and hobbled after her. 

“Better keep up, Minou.” Marinette took off running and he smirked and followed as quickly as he could behind her. 

Adrien walked in to see Marinette hanging over the side of his giant soaking tub. She had started the water and was waiting for him. 

“Is this worthy of you, Monsieur?” Marinette looked at him with love filled eyes. 

“Not until you’re in it.” Adrien smirked and leaned his crutches against the counter. 

Marinette rolled her eyes with a laugh and got up off of her knees and walked over to him. 

She lifted his black shirt over his head and slipped his bright green gym shorts down over his hips. 

“Can you lift your foot, please?” Marinette looked up at him from her bent over position.

“Depends.” Adrien ran his hand through her silky dark hair. “Will you let me undress you, after?” 

Marinette’s face couldn’t get any more red and her expression gave her away. “I-I- ye-I mean-” 

“You’re stuttering again.” Adrien ran a finger under her chin with a smile. 

Marinette straightened out her back and cleared her throat. “Just get in the water, Agreste.” 

He raised his hands and smiled. “Alright.” 

Her hand roamed down and she grasped him. He let out a gasp at her touch and watched her smile. 

His expression turned into an expression of a child that was about to do something they would get in serious trouble for. Adrien grabbed her, she dropped her hold in shock, and he dipped her. He looked down at her soft neck and ran his tongue along it. She hummed and closed her eyes. His hand trailed up the hem of her shirt until he found her soft breasts and he kneaded one of them in the palm of his hand, as he stole kisses along her neck and jawline. 

“Adrien…” Marinette sighed with her eyes shut. 

“Hm…?” Adrien spoke before he heard a voice coming from the living room of his apartment. “Shit.” 

Marinette’s eyes went wide at the noise. “Who is it?” 

“Father.” Adrien groaned before he dipped her back up, so that she was standing straight. 

“Take your bath. I’ll handle it.” Marinette pushed him away from her and snuck out the bathroom door. 

Adrien didn’t like leaving her with his father alone. He cleaned himself, as fast as, he could before he walked out there to meet them both.


	22. Chapter 22

“Adrien.” Gabriel spoke with a serious expression. 

“Father.” Adrien returned the same courtesy. 

He watched with wide eyes as Marinette was brought into a hug. Adrien’s mouth fell open at the sight. 

“I just came by to give Marinette her first project.” Gabriel handed Marinette a manilla folder. “It’s good to see you’re up and about.” 

Marinette smiled and put the folder under her arm. Adrien looked at his father then at Marinette with a look of confusion. 

“How’s your leg?” Gabriel tried to make conversation with his only son, but to no avail. 

Marinette looked at a stunned Adrien in confusion. “His leg seems to be doing well.” She smiled at Gabriel and then she poked Adrien in the arm to bring him back to reality.

“Uh- yeah… It’s good.” Adrien cleared his throat and couldn’t look him in the eye. 

“I see. Well, I’ll be going then. Make sure to look over those designs and let me know what your thoughts are on them.” Gabriel pointed at the folder before turning to leave.

“Sounds good. I’ll have an answer by the morning.” Marinette smiled and waved good-bye. 

Adrien grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. “You- you hugged my father?” He was in awe of her. 

Marinette tapped her finger to her bottom lip and looked to the side. “Oh yeah. I hugged him after our little meeting as well. I forgot to mention that. He was a little awkward at first-”

“Mari?” Adrien shook her slightly, leaning on his crutches for support. “You-Hugged-my father.” 

“Yes…?” Marinette cringed and slightly pulled back. 

“Wha- how?” Adrien had to sit down. She called him Gabriel and had hugged him? She had hugged him in front of him. His world began to spin. 

“Minou?” Marinette looked at him in concern. 

“I think I need to lay down.” Adrien touched his forehead. 

“Let me help you.” Marinette grabbed his arm and helped him over to the couch. 

He sat there in silence, staring at the wall in front of him, contemplating something. 

“Here. Drink this.” Marinette handed him a glass of water and he took it with shaking hands. 

“Are you okay?” She sat next to him and rested a palm on his thigh. 

“I’m fine. Just-” Adrien ran a hand through his messy hair. “Confused. My father is a cold rock that has no emotion. Yet, there you are hugging him and making him smile. He even asked how my leg was. Who are you?” He glared at her accusingly. 

Marinette giggled and covered her mouth with a hand. “I just know how to get through to people. That’s all. I impressed him.” 

“I’d say.” Adrien was dumbfounded. 

“Why don’t you just relax?” Marinette smiled and patted his leg. “I think I’ll make macaroons. I feel like baking today.” 

“Can I help?” Adrien looked up at her.

She seemed to be contemplating it and a moment of fear hit him. 

“Please. I need a distraction.” Adrien sighed and looked away awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Alright. Just don’t push yourself too hard.” Marinette smiled and walked away with him close behind. 

Marinette grabbed his keys and Adrien put a black converse on his non-casted foot. 

Adrien followed her out of the apartment and onto the street. They made their way to the market down the way. She grabbed a hand basket and set it in the crook of her elbow. 

“So… what do we need?” Adrien looked around him. He hadn’t been to a market in ages. 

“Well… I need almond flour, confectioners sugar… cream of tartar… you have eggs. So we don’t need to get that.” Marinette bit her nail and tried to remember what else they needed. “Vanilla extract… and.. Fine sugar.” 

Marinette bounced with glee that she remembered it all. 

“Alright, where to first?” Adrien smiled at her and leaned on his crutches. 

“Flour, probably.” Marinette smiled and walked off with him trailing behind. 

They went down every aisle until they had grabbed everything. “Alright, that’s the last thing.” Marinette set the extract in her basket. “Now, we just have to pay for it all.” 

They headed to the check out counter and Marinette placed the basket down on the counter. 

Once it was all wrung up, Marinette took her wallet out of her small purse. Adrien thrust his hand out and stopped her from pulling cash from her wallet. 

He shoved his hand into his back pocket, pulled out his black leather wallet and yanked a heavy black metal card from it. He handed it over to the cashier. Marinette looked at him in surprise. 

The cashier handed back his card and he put it away. “Merci.” Adrien spoke with a smile and grabbed the bags before Marinette could. 

“How are you going to carry those and use your crutches?” Marinette looked at him quizzically. 

“Easily.” Adrien held them in his palms and then grabbed onto the crutches’ bars. 

“At least, let me carry one.” Marinette held her hand out. 

“Alright, take the light one.” Adrien passed her the one with the lighter products. 

Marinette rolled her eyes, but gave up on fighting him. “Thank you for paying. You didn’t have to.” 

“Of course, I did. After all, you’re making me dessert. It was the least I could do.” Adrien shrugged.

“It’s not really a big deal. I enjoy it.” Marinette smiled with her eyes shut.

“I’m excited. I remember eating one you made in high school and it was dreamy.” Adrien closed his eyes in bliss at the memory.

“Yeah… back when you leaned into me and later told a girl that I was just a friend.” Marinette burst out a short laugh and leaned her head back.

Adrien stopped in shock. “You- you uh- heard that?” 

“Mm-hm. I happened to be at the Louvre that day too.” Marinette blushed at the memory. “You were seriously confusing.” 

They went up to his apartment.

“I- there’s something I should tell you-” He rubbed the back of his neck and set the groceries on the kitchen island. 

“Yes?” Marinette began unpacking the bags and looked at him with curious blue eyes.

“I may have been in denial.” Adrien blushed and sheepishly looked into her eyes. “Like badly in denial.” 

Marinette looked at him with blinking eyes. 

“I think I loved you the moment I saw you in the rain.” Adrien bit his lip. 

Marinette walked around the counter and touched his cheeks with her hands. She rubbed her nose against his and smiled. She peered into his eyes and kissed him gently on the lips. “Me too.” 

Adrien pulled her closer and kissed her. “So, where do we start?” 

Marinette giggled and backed up to start making macarons.


	23. Chapter 23

Adrien stood at the counter and watched her frost one side of a green macaroon. She chose green to match his eyes. Marinette hummed a song, while she worked. Adrien smirked and grabbed his crutches. He made his way over to a stereo that sat near the television and set his phone into a docking area. The song Feel Invincible by Skillet began to blast through the speakers and Marinette smiled. She peered up to see Adrien bobbing to the music and singing along with it.

Marinette tapped her foot and soon gave into the song as well. She began to sing it with him and he smiled over at her. She giggled at his expression and how he was really getting into the song.

She kept frosting and piecing the cookies together, while the song came to an end.

“I love that song.” Marinette hummed and placed the finished cookies onto a black plate.

“Me too.” Adrien plopped onto the stool again and looked at the beautiful cookies. “Can I have one?”

“Yes.” Marinette held the plate out to him and he grabbed one from it.

He took a bite and closed his eyes in bliss. “Just how I remember them. Purrfect.”

Marinette smiled at him. “Good.” She took a bite of one herself and hummed in satisfaction. “Perfect.”

Adrien reached out and used his thumb to remove a crumb from the corner of her mouth. She blushed at him. “You had a-” His cheeks reddened. “It’s gone now.” He sheepishly smiled.

“I should go look at those designs your father gave me.” Marinette pointed at the folder on the kitchen table.

“Right.” A shiver went up Adrien’s back. He was still weirded out by his father’s actions.

Marinette made her way over to the kitchen table and she opened the folder to reveal a different style than was usual for the Gabriel Brand. It was dark and brooding. There was something off about it.

Adrien leaned over her shoulder with a hand on the table next to the sketches. “That’s different.”

“It is.” Marinette didn’t know how to feel about it. It wasn’t like his usual stuff.

“It’s… very…” Adrien tapped his chin.

“Chat Noir?” Marinette cringed at the thought.

“Yeah…” Adrien agreed with her.

“Why would he be trying to make a line that would appeal to Chat Noir?” Marinette bit her lip and was lost in thought.

“I don’t understand anything my father does to be honest.” Adrien sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Maybe he’s trying to appeal to you?” Marinette looked at him.

“Yeah, but he hated me as Chat.” Adrien sighed and turned so his back was against the edge of the table.

“Maybe he saw it as a marketing ploy. Chat Noir is pretty famous. Maybe he wanted to grab a new audience.” Marinette flipped through the concept drawings again. “I mean they’re not bad. Just not his usual designs.”  
“True…” Adrien winced at the thought.

“Plus, you’d look good in this one.” Marinette held up a drawing of a generic male body drawing wearing black leather pants, a neon green deep v- neck tee with a black leather vest, that had lapels and lots of zippers, with matching leather fingerless gloves.

Adrien rolled his eyes. “You’d like that wouldn’t you.”

“I won’t lie. I kind of miss Chat. A little.” Marinette blushed and looked away.

Adrien smirked and brought her face to look at him. “I can bring him back, if you wish, m’Lady. Just say the word and I’ll switch him on.”

Marinette looked through her lashes and worried her bottom lip. He ran his thumb along it and pried it away. He brought his lips down to hers and stole a kiss. She melted against him and he held her by the small of her back.

He cringed, as he landed on his broken leg just right on accident.

“Maybe Chat needs to wait till you’ve healed.” Marinette giggled and steadied him.

“Maybe you’re right.” Adrien laughed after the pain subsided.

“You should go lay down for a bit.” Marinette smiled and handed him his crutches. “I’ll be in in a moment.”

He took them and walked down the hallway to his bedroom. She shook her head at how stubborn he was and began to clean up the mess in the kitchen.

It was gonna take all of her control to not disturb him in bed. He was just too damn good at being sexy and it was killing her inside and setting a flame from her toes to her face.

She licked her lips and leaned on the counter for support. “I need to focus.” Marinette spoke to herself and began to wash the dishes, hoping it would distract her.  
____________________________________________________________

Adrien laid in his bed with his arms behind his head, looking at the ceiling. He was lost in thought. Memories of blue eyes behind a red mask singing beside him came into view. He missed being Chat Noir. Missed the lights and the crowd. Missed Ladybug. Even though she was right there with him. He sighed and twitched his foot on his unbroken leg. He hated being broken. He hated being stuck in a house. It reminded him too much of when he was younger. He scowled at a tear that fell down his cheek and quickly wiped it away.

“Adrien?” Marinette quietly spoke, as she opened the bedroom door.

“Yeah?” He tried to hide his depression, but he wasn’t very good at it.

She looked at him and her face fell. She knew she shouldn’t pry, but her heart was jumping to make her say something. She cleared her throat and laid beside him.

“You can talk about it, ya know. I’ll listen.” Marinette looked at the ceiling, as he did too.

“I don’t really want to bring you down.” Adrien looked away from her.

“Nonsense.” Marinette smiled suddenly. “I may worry about you, but you could never bring me down.”

Adrien looked back to the ceiling and let a smile escape his lips, but it quickly faded. “Aside from being able to go shopping with you… I feel trapped. I feel like I’m stuck in a cage. And…” He bit his lip and looked away again.

“It- it just took me back to being a kid.”

Marinette nodded her head and an idea came to her. “Hold on. I have an idea.” She got up and went to go grab stuff. She came back in with a shoe box, a pencil, and a flashlight.

Adrien looked over at her in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“Making you something. We’re gonna go on an adventure.” Marinette smiled and sat on the bed beside him.

She began to take the pencil and punch holes into the box on one of the ends. Adrien looked at her confused until she had turned the flashlight on and set it in the box, facing the holes. She put the shoebox’s lid back on. She closed the black curtains in his room and the room went dark. She laid down next to him and held the box so that the holes faced the ceiling. A million tiny lights filled the ceiling. Adrien’s eyes grew wide and sparkled.

“I’ve brought you the stars.” Marinette smiled over at him. She took in his expression and it melted her heart. He looked like a little kid again.

Adrien finally looked over at her. “You’re amazing, Mari.”

Marinette blushed and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. He suddenly yanked her to him and deepened the kiss and she melted into him. She was in love and no one could keep her from him.

 

**Song in this chapter (I don't know why I didn't add it here.)**

**[Feel Invincible by Skillet](https://youtu.be/Qzw6A2WC5Qo) **


	24. I'm so sorry..

Hello!

I am sad to say that I will be taking a long... break on writing fanfictions. I don't know when I'll be back to write them. I need to focus on getting a full time job at the moment and right now... all of my time is spent writing these fun stories or making videos. Which, I LOVE to do! My family needs to get our finances in better shape, so... I have to focus on that right now. I'm right now trying to publish a book of my original poetry on Amazon and I will hopefully have some stories up there too soon. :)

Sorry to disappoint everyone. I will eventually pick these back up. It just might not be for a very long time. :sighs: I'm sorry again. I am so greatful to be a part of this community and fandom! I love each and every one of you! You're all amazing! Feel free to keep in touch with me on tumblr or in the PM system on Fanfiction.net or here :) I'll respond. haha

Thanks again for all of your support and comments and all of the love! :)


	25. Note

I updated this over on FFn tonight. The last chapter I put up on here is chapter 18 over there. I need to catch this one up to that one. ^-^ Sorry about that. Anyway, it's updated fully over there if you're interested. I'm still working on this story, promise. Sorry, guys. :)


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